Vicissitude
by delicdreams02
Summary: Giotto had everything going for him ever since he began the vigilante group he had always dreamt of. He was going to make a difference to this world... he was going to change things. But when an unexpected enemy sent him four hundred years to the future, his fate was suddenly placed in the hands of a boy named Tsuna and his unconventional tutor. Would he ever make it back home?
1. Prelude

Vicissitude /_vi-__**sis**__-i-tood, -tyood_/

( noun )

1: a change or variation occurring in the course of something.

2: interchange or alteration, as of states or things.

3: successive, altering, or changing phases or conditions as of life or fortune; ups and downs.

* * *

Prelude: Test

He leaned heavily on the jagged wall, squinting his eyes close in trying to steady his blurring vision. The pain he was experiencing was gone, all there was left was an astounding numbness, for which he could be a little thankful for. But that didn't help the burning feeling in his chest each time he struggled to breathe. He was almost sure that he punctured his lungs, and each intake of gas was filling the organ with more blood than actual oxygen. How it came to this, he didn't know. It angered him beyond the point of return… it wasn't like him to underestimate his opponents. But this one…

This one was different.

"Oh? Is that it then?" The eerie voice bounced around the dank alleyway just before where the young man was resting. This job sounded a lot simpler said than done. Just take down the man who had terrorized the lower towns like he owned the place. Looking at the way he dressed, he supposed that the stupid pineapple head could have owned this place if he wanted to. But aside from that pompous stuck-up attitude, he apparently packed a punch on his swing as well. The blonde young man hadn't faced an opponent quite like this before. Usually his skillful hand-to-hand combat style was enough to incapacitate his enemies or to just scare them off. He had been able to do that. That was the case until he faced… what he could only describe as sorcery. Why didn't anyone tell him he was against Marlin? "You disappoint me. Calling yourself a vigilante? I thought you'd be… tougher."

He cursed to himself, knowing that in his current state, it wasn't wise to even attempt to fight. That didn't necessarily mean that this small fact was going to stop him. He had faced greater adversaries before, and had been in a dozen other situations worse than this. The blonde had made it through then, why not now? He could still win this fight. However, he found that the more he convinced himself, the less he believed in his own reassurance. He was in a bad situation… really bad.

His point was proven when exhaustion began to take its toll on his body right before his very eyes. As his knees buckled and legs gave up, he closed his eyes, unable to calm himself seeing his own state. This couldn't be it. He was meant for greatness. Damn it—he hadn't done anything significant in his life aside from starting this vigilante group with G… okay they were a duo not a group, but who the hell was keeping score? But even in doing that, they hadn't exactly made any difference to anyone's life. Maybe he should have listened to the other people around him… maybe he was being childish thinking that he could make a change in this world. C'mon! His best friend even pointed out that he had some sort of a hero complex.

This was dumb. A bitter smile escaped him then. This sucked. He didn't want to die like this. He wasn't going to let his self-proclaimed right hand man take over the job of being the leader. He wasn't going to let the redhead down. He still had to make a difference in this life, to prove that not all hope was lost. He wanted to see the world, and to meet people… all kinds of people. For Pete's sake, he hadn't even have his first kiss! What a bitter thought. His eyes opened with a determination—a resolve—that he didn't know he had. He wasn't going to lose to Daemon Spade… like hell that was going to happen.

Just as his blue-haired opponent appeared from the side of the building, he jumped away from the wall, feeling inexplicable energy flow through him. His head was down in concentration, trying not to be overwhelmed by this feeling. He spoke in a smooth baritone, "If I were to die losing to the likes of you, I will never rest in peace."

A sardonic retort formed in the said opponent's mouth, but he was never able to get it out as he watched the young man before him. The blonde looked up, ocean eyes turned into a warm golden colour. What surprised the young illusionist more was the bright tongue of flame that appeared right on his previously easy toy. His grin turned from down right creepy to shit-eating. This was what he wanted. This was what he was expecting. This was what he was _waiting _for. The cane in his hands twirled in place, and he snorted, "Oh? So you are the right one. I was beginning to think I might have picked up a pretender. At least make this interesting, won't you?"

It was the bluenet who lunged at him, graceful and as fierce as a predator. Despite his injuries and exhaustion, he was able to dodge the rather blunt weapon easily. Ducking out of the way, he used his hand, pointing it towards the man's chest, and pushed with the energy flowing through him. The illusionist ended up being flung into the wall as if he weighed nothing. As he stood himself up, he managed to glance at the gloves now lit with the same flame on the blonde's head, before the said young man was within arm's reach. His reflex to protect himself kicked in too late as his neck was grasped with a tight grip that immediately made him drop his weapon. The air he was breathing was getting in less and less, and for a moment, he thought he was done for. Here he was thinking that he would manage to at least gauge the blonde's improvement before he defeated him—the bluenet never reckoned he'd be the one kicking the bucket. He would have laughed if he could… not that he didn't deserved to be killed by this young man.

Just as he faded to black though, air came rushing back to him. He was on the ground now instead of dangling, and he had to push on his arms to keep himself from falling into the filthy cold floor. The young illusionist was coughing and spluttering to recover and even back his breathing. When he could finally see straight he looked up at the blonde who previously looked like he was going to pass out. How the tides had changed, in deed. The bluenet stared incredulously at the blonde who began to walk away. He called out to him, "You're not going to finish me off…?"

The blonde still with the bright flame flickering on his head just stared calmly at the other_. Soft_. The bluenet chuckled, picking himself up. He could barely stand but he managed to. The cane was back on his hand, eyes challenging. There was a strong feeling in the pit of the blonde's stomach that told him to move… to stop this man… to do anything and everything. The grin on the other's face stretched from ear to ear as he tapped the ground with the blunt end of his weapon. The blonde jumped towards the other just as he began disappearing into the light. But he knew that was a mistake the moment the light began to envelop him, too.

The light was too bright to keep his eyes open so he was forced to shield his sight, but the gut feeling in him never disappeared. Suddenly, the ground was gone. He was floating in nothingness and it felt odd… it felt wrong. He didn't know how long he had been in the limbo-like state, before feelings started to come back to him. The flame on his hands and forehead was extinguished, and he heard his opponent's spine-chilling chuckle from a far. He spun his body towards the source's general direction, trying to open his eyes to no avail. This was getting old really fast. What kind of party trick was this now? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Nothing good could come from being bathed in white light. The blonde hissed angrily, "What have you done?!"

"Hm? Why don't we call it a… test…? That's right, let's just say I'm testing you." The voice said teasingly, moving further away.

Persistent, the blonde tried to open his eyes again, or at least find something solid to set his feet on. With no such luck, he retorted, "Test?! What are you… come back here and fight me!"

The illusionist's signature chuckle rung again. The blonde was starting to develop a dislike for that laughter he associated with nothing but malice. The last he heard from the illusionist was, "I don't think I will… but it should all end very soon, I promise. How about that?"

The voice was fading fast, and he could sense the other's presence going further and further away. The blonde gritted his teeth together as he finally hit the floor, or a sold surface at the very least. Cracking his eyes open, he can make out a faint figure as the blinding light began to fade. Without hesitation he leaped for the retreating character, "You're not getting away from me!"

Despite returning to his weakened state, it was surprisingly easy to tackle his opponent to the ground. He held him down, before pulling his fist back to strike. The blonde lifted the other by the collar, grabbing a handful of the white buttoned up shirt—wait, what? Daemon wasn't wearing this shirt. He wasn't this small either… and he certainly didn't have two big doe-like eyes. The blonde blinked, stopping his attack as he came face to face with a brunet who shrieked fearfully, "HIEEEEEE!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note:** Hello, dear readers. I'm humbled to be at your presence. If you're here, I'm going to assume you read through my rather… short prelude. This story is a fruit of the fandom jamming down G27 down my throat—not that I'm complaining—and sleepless nights that never seem to be productive. This marks the first fanfiction I've ever written, so bear with me as I try to get my footing in this. Your comments and feedbacks would be appreciated, I want to grow as I writer and I'd love to have a bunch of wonderful strangers tell me how. Who doesn't? Sorry for taking your time, I'll shut up now and let you read. Thanks for stopping by!

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Chapter Two: Giotto

Tsuna smiled warmly, standing by the fork on the road where he and his two friends usually separated. The last of their goodbyes dissolved into the air just moments ago. He was in deep thought as he watched both Gokudera and Yamamoto walk on to their respective streets. It was another peaceful day, one that he was thankful for. Of all the things that had happened with the Ring Conflict, he didn't think that he'd ever find such a peace again. It was something that he took for granted once… this mundane quiet life—but not anymore. He decided that from now on, he was going to live his life to the fullest!

His thoughts were interrupted suddenly with a hit on his head. Being caught unprepared, he fell flat on his face. The brunet looked up and glared at his tutor, dressed in his usual black suite attire. He had to wonder where in the world Reborn was hiding all these strength to knock him around like this in that tiny body. He pouted, sitting up from where he was, "Reborn! Why—what was that for?!"

"What do you think you're going, dame-Tsuna? Hurry up and go home, your homework isn't going to get done by staring into space." Reborn said with a straight face. Where was it normal for a home tutor to use force to teach someone? Oh wait, in his life, it was.

"You didn't have to hit me! You could have just told me!" Tsuna reasoned, rising to his feet gingerly as to not injure or further harm himself. His eyes flew open when Leon climbed down to Reborn's hand, forming a gun. The hit man pointed the weapon at the brunet, as if it was no big deal and he wasn't holding a lethal firearm. Tsuna shrieked and ran off home. The arcobaleno stood where he was then, watching Tsuna like his student had done with his friends a little while back. He still had much to teach that one. Tilting his fedora down to let the chameleon climb back on, a smirk formed on his lips.

"I'm home." Tsuna called as he entered the house. He was greeted with the usual sight of Lambo running up and down the hallway, laughing like a maniac, I-pin and Fuuta hot on his trail. He heard a faint greeting from his mother in the kitchen before he headed up the stairs. It was never like this before. But somehow this lively house had been more home to him than it was in the past when it was just he and Nana. Again that sentimental feeling bubbled up his chest, he smiled to himself before resigning to his room. The brunet threw his bag towards the table close middle of his room, closing the door behind him. With a sigh, he walked over to his desk and pulled out his homework. Living life to the fullest or not, he was still a middle school student with responsibilities. Besides, it would be nice to be initiating this for a change. Reborn would be quite happy when he came home—

"Tsuna." The said brunet jumped out of skin when he heard his name being called. Speak of the devil, the sun arcobaleno appeared on the table from thin air. The teen held his chest, as to hold his heart in place before it beats out. The tutor had a straight face on as he continued, "Don't look so pathetic… something is coming."

"Eh? What? What's going on now, Reborn?!" In response the arcobaleno just stared at where his student was holding his chest. Following his glance, Tsuna pulled his hand down, revealing the ring around his neck's unnatural glow. His eyes went disk-wide if they hadn't already before. He quickly pulled it away from himself, about to begin harassing Reborn for answers when the light began to spread. In panic, Tsuna dropped the ring and stood up faster than he had in his life. He headed for the door, and the last thing he heard was the sound of Reborn's familiar voice telling him cautiously,

"Stay on your toes."

The moment he heard those words, he turned his head slowly towards the middle of the room. Sure enough, there was truth behind the warning—as always. There was a lump in the middle of the light. Looking closer now, he realized that the lump was in a shape of a person. He thought to himself that now would be a good time for Reborn to shoot him, but still nothing came. Even as the person stood up and spoke, in gibberish, "_You're not getting away from me!"_

Though he had no idea what the hell that meant, he could detect the anger in that tone of speaking enough to know it was time to run. Tsuna turned around quickly reaching for the door. As his palm touched the knob though, he was painfully knocked into the ground. Here he was complaining about the way Reborn treated him, and all of the sudden another random person came into his life… another character that seemed to have a knack in hurting him. Before he could react, the said other person pulled him by the collar of his shirt. Because of that he was now about to see that this person didn't just sound angry, he looked like he was pose to kill. In his fear, all he could do was screech and flail his arms about, "HIEEEEE! SAVE ME!"

That seemed to have done the trick as the grip on him loosened until it was gone. Tsuna blinked in shock, since that had never happened before. Looking up now, he what he saw was enough to make him doubt everything. He was looking at himself. The person who had tried to kill him not only looked like him, but was also wearing the same exact expression as him. He was about his age, with the same unruly hair in a golden shade and wild blue eyes that reminded him of the stormy ocean. The first question that ran his mind was not who this person was, but why he was out to kill him. Tsuna was the first one to move, destroying the mirror illusion that they had going. He fell on his behind, scooting over until his back hit the door and couldn't go any further. Reborn suddenly jumped on his head, making him squeak a bit. Why the arcobaleno of all times that he could have been shot with a dying will bullet, hadn't done so now, he would never know.

He had heard of the legend of doppelgängers before. It wasn't a very happy legend. Story has it that doppelgänger was another 'you', and when they come into your life, they would kill you and take over your life. Then he took a look at his blonde doppelgänger again, same as Reborn did. Tsuna's panic ceased. The person was looking now at the infant in his head with an even more confused expression. From that, he deducted that there must be a big misunderstanding here. This young man wasn't out to kill him to take his place as Tsunayoshi, like a doppelgänger would really do. That and there was an air of… familiarity around this guy. It was strange, but he couldn't explain it. Tsuna offered a relieved smile, and asked warmly, "Uhm… who are you?"

"_What in the… what's going on_?" Came the response, still gibberish. The blonde sat then, crossing his legs, and stroking his invisible beard thoughtfully. Then he looked up and looked around happily, "_I'm not in Ita… oh! I get it! You're an illusion, aren't you? This must be his work—it feels different though, this isn't how he usually… ah, whatever. So, how am I going to break free_…?"

Tsuna stared on, lost. The confused aura the young man in front of him had disappeared as quickly as his intimidating one did. Now he was just talking in some foreign tongue… thinking that, it all made sense then. The only other language that could ever be spoken when it involved Reborn was Italian. Was this guy in the mafia, too? What a terrible thought. He craned his neck to look up, "Hey, Reborn… is he speaking Italian? What's he saying?"

"Who knows?" The arcobaleno shrugged, taking Leon from his spot to his hand. Tsuna panicked at first. He was even more afraid when Reborn aimed for the person with the gun. He attempted to move, to push the other away while hoping to knock Reborn from his head, but he wasn't fast enough. The bullet went straight at the young man who fell on his back. Tsuna screamed in horror, scooting closer to the blonde.

"Reborn! What did you do?! Why did you kill him?!" Tsuna peered from where he was, seeing the blonde's eyes were closed. The body was rigid. Tears began to stream down Decimo's face, he would be sent to jail for conspiring in a murder. A murder committed by a baby.

"I didn't." Sure enough, the blonde sat up then, glaring daggers at the arcobaleno. Tsuna was even more confused about the entire thing. What the hell was going on here? What was it now?! After the ordeal with the Varia, he thought that things would be easier. Why him?!

"_Oi! What did you just… you shot me? You shot me and I didn't die! Yes! I knew it! So this was an illusion. You can't fool me, you might as well give up now. I can see through your tricks, Dae_—" The blonde started but he wasn't able to finish. As he babbled on with Tsuna watching him like a puppy, Reborn took the opportunity to kick Tsuna in the back of the head. It sent the brunet's head forward towards the young man. Convinced that this was still a well-crafted magic compliments of stupid Merlin, the blonde remained where he was, thinking that the other would have gone through him all things considered.

But the dumb brunet never did.

Tsuna tried to stop the momentum but he couldn't. His face went straight towards the other's. It would have been better if he ended up just head butting the guy, at least that could have been made up for, but there was no saving their dignity in what happened. In that instant that they crashed, Tsuna's lips pressed tightly against the blonde's. Chocolate met the sky, they stared at each other with wide eyes. Both were too shocked to even move.

At that moment, did Bianchi decided to open the door. She was checking in on Tsuna about the earlier scream, only to find this. She didn't say anything, but just left the two alone. The sound of the door closing snapped enough sanity back to the lookalikes to pull away violently from each other. Tsuna wiped his mouth vigorously against his uniform sleeve, weeping. "Why do these things always happen to me?! Why can't something good happen to me for once?!"

"Speak for yourself, you girly little…! You stole my first kiss!" The blonde yelled. Both of them, currently wiping their own lips on something to erase what just transpired, stopped. They once again gaped at each other like fishes. From where he was, Reborn smiled, jumping towards the bed.

"Eh?! You can speak Japanese all these time?!" Tsuna exclaimed.

"What?! I do?! How is this… woah. This illusion is really powerful."

"You're both wrong. I shot a special Vongola Bullet called Speech. It makes a person fluent in any language they… _absorb_." All heads turned towards the one speaking, standing on top of the bed. The blonde mumbled something about 'crazy talking infant, before Reborn turned solely to him. Tsuna thought for a second that he was going to get hurt for that, but surprisingly, Reborn just continued to speak, "As for you… you aren't in an illusion, or whatever you think this is. Who are you?"

"Not an illusion! Hah! Impossible… but of course Daemon would want you to think you're real… but you can't trick me. I mean c'mon, a baby with a gun? Special bullets?" The blonde said stubbornly.

Tsuna stared hard at the boy… did he think he was under someone's illusion? Like how Rokudo Mukuro and Mammon fought? Now that he had thought about it, the blonde was in tatters, he could also see blood seeping through some parts of his ratty clothes. Was he in a fight before all these? The future Decimo spoke then, "Daemon?"

"Yes, Daemon. Daemon Spade. Did I stutter? I was fighting him not too long ago… I defeated him actually and he was the one that did this." He motioned around him to emphasize his last point.

Reborn was profoundly thinking the moment he heard the name. Tsuna could practically hear the gears moving about on the arcobaleno's head. He knew something. But instead of revealing things, he simply asked, "Tell me then, if it isn't reality, what do you think is the point of sending you to such an ordinary illusion?"

"You tell me." He shrugged in reply. Tsuna smiled grimly to himself. How could someone be so carefree despite thinking that they were in one of the enemy's traps? These people were insane.

"How are you going to get out of this illusion then?"

"I don't know… I reckon if I find him, I'll figure it out eventually."

"How are you going to find him?"

"He'll come to me."

"What's the date?"

To that question, the identical teens stared at Reborn. For once they were both in the same page, thinking how out of place that question was. How was it going to help insane blonde over here believe that they weren't illusions? Tsuna sighed in defeat before he finally decided to step up, "Reborn, this is useless. This guy obviously needs help—"

"June tenth, sixteen hundred." The two other occupants of the room turned their head on the blonde. Tsuna's face showed shock with a hint of disbelief. Reborn was rather deadpanned. Seeing the awkward air he had created the blonde again just in case these persistent illusions were deaf, "Today is June the tenth, sixteen hundred."

The silence seemed to have gone for eternity. Tsuna was only able to open his mouth to say something akin to 'no way' but there were no sound that came out. He had lost his voice. Was this guy for real? Reborn on the other hand spoke once more to break the sound barrier that enveloped them in those long minutes it took to process what the blonde had said. "What's your name?"

The blonde young man hesitated for a moment, before he figured that he really had nothing to lose. This boy or the baby didn't seem to have any bad intentions towards him despite being part of Daemon Spade's crazy illusion. He wasn't going to doubt his gut feeling now that it had been right so many times before in the past. Perhaps the bluenet was trying to catch him off guard… but that would never happen. He would go along with this, and see if it would eventually lead him to that man pineapple head. He had a feeling it would. There wasn't a doubt in him that he'd find Spade. With a shrug, he then replied,

"Giotto."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note:** Thank you, thank you, thank you! For all the follows, favourites, reviews, and reads (I see you, silent readers)! I honestly didn't think that I would even have two readers, but I must be doing something right if you're here. Thank you dear reader, and I promise I will try my very best not to disappoint you. Just a side note, I started composing this story as I was watching the anime—and I still haven't finished it, so if there is any inconsistency with the storyline, I apologize in advance. As a timeline reference, let's just say that the story takes place after the events of the Ring Conflict. Once more, thank you for being here and enjoy this chapter! Happy birthday, Tsuna!

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Chapter Three: Identity

The first hint was that name: Daemon Spade. Having mentioned that sparked an idea in the arcobaleno about the identity of this stranger… or at least a hint of where—when, given their notorious tendency to mess with time and space compliments of a certain Bovino brat—he came from and why the Vongola ring reacted to his apparition. As impossible as it may sound, Daemon Spade was the name of the Primo Familgia's Mist Guardian. From what he knew about the history of the Family, his powers were similar to that of Rokudo Mukuro, Vongola Decimo's Mist Guardian. It would explain why the young blonde man kept on about being in an illusion. Reborn had no idea how to even make sense of the young man's logic though.

He needed more information. Reborn could make assumptions based on that simple fact but he was close to figuring it out. That was the reason why he had asked for the date. If his haunch was right, this young man could be from the past. Tsuna being as useless as he was, as expected, had no clue what was going on. The second hint was graciously provided to the raven arcobaleno when the blonde responded to him once again. June tenth sixteen hundred was approximately four hundred years ago. Roughly speaking in terms of average human lives, that would approximate to nine generations. The fact that this blonde Italian man looked exactly like Tsuna was a disturbing coincidence considering those given numbers.

His piercing black eyes stared, discerning the boy before him. Not because he was shocked about what he said, but because of the realization that dawned to him.

Daemon Spade.

Italy.

The year sixteen hundred.

The blonde's similarity to Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola Decimo.

He needed only the confirmation. Reborn stared emptily at the boy and asked, "What's your name?"

There was a moment of doubt in those blue eyes until they sharpened as soon as it came. He seemed to have judged if there were risks involved where this conversation was heading. It was the same with Tsuna's hyper intuition. The boy finally spoke, "Giotto."

All Reborn could do was stare in awe, though his expression might not show it. This boy was Giotto Primo Vongola, the man who started it all. He wasn't sure if at this age he had already established the Familgia but there was no doubt about it. This was _the _Giotto, the strongest most influential boss the Vongola ever had. Though looking at him now, Reborn could sense that he still had a long way to go.

"Reborn… you know something. What's going on?" Tsuna asked, still out of place. You'd think he'd at least have a clue what's going on considering he used Primo's Point Zero Breakthrough. He should have at least noticed the gloves Giotto was wearing.

"I don't know how… or why, but it seems like Daemon somehow sent Giotto here… to the future." Reborn explained, sitting down on crossed legs.

"What?" The blonde looked like he began to doubt his own theory of illusion right about now.

"So… he wasn't crazy when he said today is the seventeenth century?"

"Why? What year is it supposed to be?" The boy who called himself Giotto asked, stricken with confusion. Tsuna frowned, before getting up to grab the calendar. He set it on the desk Giotto was leaning on, and watched. The blonde turned to look at the calendar and stayed silent for a while. He laughed bitterly before he muttered, "There's no… way."

"Whether you believe or not that this is the truth is up to you… but we'll do everything in our abilities to get you back to your own time." Reborn stated calmly, seeing the panic run through the other teen's appearance. The arcobaleno mused on how similar his student's and his ancestor's facial expressions were. Speaking of which, Reborn turned to the brunet. Tsuna was still watching as the other chewed on this information with a sympathetic aura about him; always thinking of others… even not having the first clue about who this young man was.

"I don't know what's going on either… but we'll definitely bring you home, Giotto-san!" The brightness of his student seemed to have given the blonde a sliver of hope, as he looked up with a less bewildered expression. Tsuna smiled reassuringly, before he continued, "I know it's hard but—"

"I don't need your pity. You expect me to just believe that? What proof do I have that you're not just trying to mess with my head? That this is an illusion and—god damn it! I'm going to kill you, Daemon!" Giotto snapped. He was in denial, and violently so. Tsuna, surprisingly, remained calm… how uncharacteristically mature.

The brunet opened his mouth to speak, but before sounds could come out, he was thrown face first to the floor as the door swung open with full force.

"Tenth! I heard screaming! Are you okay?!" Gokudera yelled as he came to view. He was too in over his head to notice that the centre of his concern was on the floor… as always.

"G! Oh god! I've never been happier to see you!" Giotto exclaimed then, standing up and strolling to where the right hand man was standing. Reborn recognized that name, too. "Listen, G, we're in a bad situation. Daemon placed this illusion trying to mess with our minds. Those two would have me believe that this is Japan and that this is the twenty-first century and—uh, G? What happened to your hair…?"

Gokudera stared confusedly at Giotto, as he questioned, "Tenth…?"

"Gokudera-kun." Tsuna called as he got to his feet, smiling awkwardly. Both Giotto and the said silver-haired one turned their heads to look at the brunet. The young man by the door stared wide-eyed looking between the two lookalike.

"Hey, you guys sound like you're having fun! What's… eh?! Two Tsuna's?" Yamamoto popped up behind Gokudera, looking into the room. The silver haired man was till in too much shock to even notice the athlete behind him. Giotto sensing that this young man, though he might look like his childhood friend, in fact wasn't, put his guard up a little. He backed off a few steps, now noticing the new person in this confusing equation.

"Tsuna…? Who in the world is…" Giotto started, but he didn't bother to even continue asking. He turned around, scowling at the brunet whom he had assumed to be this 'Tsuna' character. He quickly argued, "I am nothing like this… shrimp! How dare you? Do I honestly seem like I hadn't hit puberty?"

"Hey, you copycat bastard! I'll blow up your head for insulting Tenth! Take it back!" The confusion in his face was erased suddenly. Gokudera suddenly had rocket dynamites between each of his fingers, poised for battle. The blonde eyed them with a smirk.

"You wanna go at it, old man? I'm not going to go easy on you just because you look like G."

"Now, now… is this really necessary?" Yamamoto placed a hand on Gokudera's shoulder, trying to calm the other. He had to try and intervene before this got out of hand. Tsuna looked like he was about to panic, too. Yamamoto was only trying to help, but to which, the silverette retorted,

"Shut up, you baseball idiot! Stay out of this!"

"I can take… you both… oh, why am I…" Those were the last of his words before hitting the ground. Reborn was surprised the aforementioned blonde was able to stand as long as he had considering his state. Daemon Spade must have gotten him good.

"Giotto-san!" Tsuna shrieked before rushing to the blonde's side. Reborn who had watched the exchange the entire time jumped off the bed now.

"He finally gave in… I thought he looked badly beaten." The Arcobaleno observed. The other two guardians ran towards the small crowd forming around the unconscious blonde. "This isn't good. We have to get his wounds treated."

"So… you're telling me that that guy is actually from the past and now we have to find a way to somehow send him back or else we might all face dire consequences?" Gokudera summed up all that Reborn had said in the last minute in one sentence. The four of them were sitting around the base that the Cavallone had used when they were around Namimori. Giotto was treated and bandaged up, and had rested since. Reborn hadn't told them _everything_ since he knew that there was no way they would be able to keep things away from that sharp rebellious teen that was the future—past—founder of the Vongola. The last thing he wanted was to influence the blonde too much. He would tell them enough, the arcobaleno decided. "Why? What the hell does that snarky bastard have to do with us?"

"Well… he does look like Tsuna." Yamamoto pointed out.

"You mean… you think Giotto-san and I might be related?" Tsuna asked, now looking at Reborn. He might not know too much, but he knew Reborn enough to know when the arcobaleno was holding back information—like now. He knew he had his reasons, so he wasn't going to pry.

"That's a possibility." Reborn simply stated. He had enough of this conversation though. He wanted to speak with Giotto, if anything, but that would have to wait until the blonde recovered. He jumped out of the sofa, heading for the door. "I'm going to try and find out more about this situation from our end. For now, it's best to just let him recover."

"But…" Gokudera was about to argue, but he resigned sinking to his seat hearing the finality in that statement. He resolved into mumbling something like 'if Reborn-san says so'. They were left in silence then.

"This is different. Not every day you hear about time travellers." The raven swordsman pointed out light heartedly, diffusing the silence. Tsuna was looking towards the door, deep in thought, and Gokudera just scowled at the other.

"I don't buy it. I think he's a spy, what if he's Varia? What if he's just trying to mess with us? I don't like that guy."

"Giotto-san doesn't feel like a bad person… sure he's a little rough around the edges, but I can't explain it. He seems familiar. " Tsuna spoke then, that look of better judgment on his face as he turned to both his guardians. If anything, the brunet could relate to this supposed time-traveler. He might have never travelled time, but he had always felt like he was out of place before Reborn. He knew what it felt like to be in a completely different plane from everyone else despite his attempts to try and be the same. He'd probably still feel out of place if it weren't for his friends. "I think all he wants is to go home. I mean I understand… if I were in his place, I'd freak out, too. Let's just give him some time."

To those words, Gokudera softened like a cat. He could never deny Tsuna, so despite his reluctance, he allowed himself to be swayed. "Very well said, Tenth! If that's what you want, then I'll do what I can to help!"

"Ha-ha! Sounds like fun! Count me in, too!" Yamamoto smiled that sunny smile that made Decimo wonder if he could be his Sun Guardian, too. The brunet smiled at the both of them. He was so lucky to have such great friends.

"You really don't get it, don't you, baseball idiot?! This isn't a game!"

"Don't be like that Gokudera! Of course I understand, all I said was I'll help out, too!"

"Stop grinning like that, damn it!"

"Gokudera-kun! Put those away! Don't fight in here! Dino-san—HIEEEEE!"

Giotto stared at his door, sitting up after he felt a tremor after the sound of an explosion. He could hear them all this time… for illusions, they were well fashioned enough to act like that. He snorted, lying back down on the bed, watching the ceiling. He muttered to himself, "How noisy."

"They are, but they're a good bunch." A voice agreed. The blonde shot up from where he was again, wincing as he did so too fast. The baby leaped to the desk beside his bed.

"And… what are you supposed to be?" The young man couldn't help his curiosity any more. How was a baby this articulate and mature? How could his chameleon turn into a gun that fires non-lethal bullets?

"It's a long story, Giotto. I don't think I've introduced myself. My name is Reborn, I'm Tsuna's home tutor." He would also be trafficking information as long as this man remained in this time. He had to control the things that Giotto might learn in this time, but the other didn't have to know that specifically.

Giotto considered that for a moment, before he looked towards the closed door, still able to hear the noise from the other side. He asked solemnly without malice for once, "… what is it about that scrawny kid?"

"He might be dame-Tsuna, but he is going to be a great leader one day. He has a strong sense of justice and a knack to understand people… most of all a kind heart. He is well suited to take care of his family." If Tsuna were to hear him now, he'd probably tear up. The brunet had shown character befitting of that of a Vongola boss… stronger than any other in the bloodline in a very long time. Reborn wasn't going to take all credits for it, but he did have something to do with some of it.

The blonde was staring at him with a look that proved the arcobaleno that this young man definitely was Vongola Primo… but as quickly as it came, it disappeared into a scowl. The teen tossed to his side, lying back down. "I don't know what the world you're going on about, baby."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note:** In celebration of me finishing this story (not here, but on my laptop, haha) I am posting this chapter! I really shouldn't be here, I have quite a few midterms, but whatever. Anything for you awesome readers, I shall do. Thank you once again for all your feedbacks and your continuous support! I love you all so very much. /cries in a corner/

**Reply to anons: (**Stranger: I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Thanks for the review... I wish there was an easier way to get to you though, I want to rant like I usually do in my PM's about how awesome you are for reviewing and being here. Thanks again!**)**

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Chapter Four: Ice

_He is going to be a great leader one day. He has a strong sense of justice and a knack to understand people… most of all a kind heart. He is well suited to take care of his family._

Those words replayed in his head over and over since Reborn had said them. He was still convinced that the point to this illusionary world was to mess with his psyche. If it that were in fact the case, then he'd hate to admit that Daemon's strategy was working. Those words… they got him worked out to the point that he began to question what it was about that shrimp that made that baby say all those things. What did Tsuna have that he didn't? He was sure as hell that he had a strong sense of justice. That was one of the many reasons why he had started to plan that vigilante group with G to begin with. Giotto understood people, too. It was strange but he was the type of person who was really good at first impressions. He have been a little… obnoxious, but how could he not be?! Being told you're magically sent into the far future didn't really count as normal. It hadn't been easy.

So why did it feel like he didn't suit that description that baby gave of a great leader?

Giotto turned his head to look at where his I-Gloves lay. No way. Who would that Tsuna character lead anyways? A bunch of rowdy kids who won't even face the half the things he had faced already on his age, probably. This might be the twenty-first century in Japan, but this life is peaceful and it was nothing in comparison to the world he lived in. To them, ignorance is bliss. They had no idea what the real world was really like. They probably wouldn't even know what to do in a fighting situation. The blonde huffed. That was right, unlike him they didn't have a resolve… a reason to fight. That was what makes him stronger. It wasn't just about beating up the bad guys… it was about making his town better.

"Giotto-san…? Are you asleep?" A small voice said from the door. The blond made a point in sitting up slowly to glare at the young man who had entered the room. This person was too soft. He couldn't possibly be a leader being as timid. That baby didn't know what he was talking about. Wait. Why was he even letting what an infant said get to him? He glared at the brunet.

"Apparently not anymore." Giotto retorted coldly. That didn't deter the other as he walked in with an apologetic smile.

"Eh… haha… uhm… Reborn said that you would be awake. So…" The young man rambled on_. No sense of confidence. Easily intimidated._ Giotto decided he would start a list to make himself feel better and to keep his mind sharp about this whole situation. "We were going to go back home, I was wondering if you'd like to come with us… unless you'd rather stay here, of course!"

"I can't exactly go back home now, can I?" Though there was an edge in his tone, a morbid sarcasm, Tsuna was able to hear the loneliness and reality to what the other had said.

"Being angry at everything and everyone isn't going to help you come back home either." Giotto was a bit taken aback by that. He wasn't expecting that this boy would say the first logical thing he would hear since he was supposedly sent to the future. He leered at the brunet, but reluctantly swung his legs to the side of the bed to get up. Grabbing his I-Gloves and shoving it to his pockets, he stood face to face with the shrimp.

_Short. Scrawny._ Giotto added to his list, as he almost had to look down on the young man to see him. He muttered deadpanned, "… your name?"

"Oh, I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi! Or just Tsuna. Nice to meet you!" The brunet bowed respectfully… must be a Japanese thing, he thought. With a sigh, he extended a hand out. Giotto was finding it was getting harder and harder to hate this boy. He was too pure… too innocent… too bright a light. He still didn't see him as someone that could lead. Tsuna never would, he decided.

"Giotto." Tsuna got the hint as he shook his hand. The blonde snorted to himself… even his grip was soft. That stupid smile on the brunet's face though was infuriating. Quickly, the Italian snatched his hand away before beckoning for the other to go. Since he had no idea where he was taken to, then he had no other choice but to follow this wimp—annoying as that may be.

They walked out of the building quietly. It wasn't a hospital, but he wasn't curious enough to ask where he was brought to recover. Tsuna was a pace ahead of him, and he stayed behind, staring irritably at the brunet's back. For some strange reason, he couldn't shake what the baby had told him. It irked him to death. But at the same time, it was hard to really hate him. This shrimp had charisma, Giotto would give him that much. Maybe that would be all that he would ever give him. Lost in thought, he was taken by surprise when he ran against Tsuna's back. He scowled at the other teen,

"Watch where you're going." He hissed, though he should probably be saying that to himself. Tsuna stood frozen, quiet. Giotto frowned even more. Looking like he had seen a ghost, he followed the brunet's line of vision. From the distance he could make up a figure in black. Seeing him sent a warning signal to go off in his head. He was wearing black clothing and from where they were standing, he appeared faceless. The most fucked up part was that there were suddenly mist rolling in. "What in the world…?"

"No way…" Tsuna breathed out. _Fearful. Irrational. Unable to react to sudden danger. _Giotto smelled fear in the other, and if that wasn't enough, he could see that he was shaking. That was when his instincts kicked in.

The blonde grabbed on to Tsuna and began to run the other way. He might have no idea where he was going, but anywhere but there was good. His gut feeling was telling him to get as far away from that man as possible. But it felt like no matter how far he had dragged the brunet, he wasn't putting much distance between themselves and that man. His gut was wrenching so much he wanted to throw up. As he turned from the commercial district to a residential area, he was greeted with a thick fog. Giotto cursed, turning to see that Tsuna had stopped running and was now looking at another direction. The man following them had gained considerable distance.

Now up close, the blonde confirmed that in fact, the man had in fact, no face but was instead wrapped in bandages. The air about the mysterious man smelled bad… last time he was faced with this aura was his battle with Daemon. Just by looking, he knew that he had no chance of winning—or living through the battle for that matter. He grabbed his I-Gloves from his pockets, slipping them on. He placed his arm in front of the brunet, stepping forward. He instructed to the other, "Stand back."

"What—wait! Giotto-san, you can't! You have no idea what you're up against!" Tsuna said frantically. The blonde only snorted… was this guy for real? Was he really that big of an idiot?

"And you do?" He asked, still sizing up his opponent. No matter how he looked at it, this wasn't going to go his way, but it didn't have to. All he thought about was to buy enough time to get the shrimp away from this man. Giotto might have something against Tsuna, but he didn't hate him enough to let him fall victim to this… thing.

"Yes! He's a Vendice Guard from the Vendicare Prison! Trust me on this, you can't win against him!" Giotto fought the urge to roll his eyes. Like that made any difference to his decision. Nothing he said made sense and he couldn't even agree with the last part of that whole thing. Must he really spell out to him what he planned to do?

"Who said anything about winning? Go, idiot. Run."

That was the last thing he said before he charged into the man. He ran at full speed, but as soon as he was within striking range, there was suddenly nothing in front of him. Giotto didn't have time to move even realizing that the enemy was behind him. A wind, freaky as it may sound, threw him against a wall. He didn't feel anything touching him, nor see anything for that matter, just the pain that wracked his body as his back hit the wall. It would seem like he really hadn't recovered at all form the fight with Daemon. This was troublesome. He fell on the ground, but quickly tried to stand back up. He had drowned out the noise, and concentrated fully on the enemy in front of him. No backing down, he vowed to himself.

The Guard turned to him, and just stood or floated where it was. Giotto gritted his teeth together, wracking his mind for a different approach. But before he could, the freak was already on him. There were chains that appeared from nowhere, striking him. They weren't aiming to restrain, but to hurt, it would seem. The blonde man dodged his way to close in on his enemy. However, the closer he got, the thicker the chains grew as well. A particular one hit him in his arm, leaving a gaping wound. He recoiled away, but didn't stop. By the time he was near enough to attack, he threw a well-aimed punch, the beginning of an attack, but he felt his fist hit nothing.

One of the chains lashed on him, throwing him against the wall once more. This time as he hit the poor wall, some parts of it actually let out sounds of cracking from impact—that or those were his bones. Now that adrenaline was beginning to lessen due to his state—it really wasn't smart to even fight knowing that he hadn't fully recovered from the fight with Daemon—he could feel the extent of that last attack's damage. The bleeding gash on his shoulder was only one of the many cuts he had received charging in those chains. His back hurt like hell. It was hard to stand in two feet, but he did. Giotto was looking down on the ground trying to concentrate the light within him.

No. This couldn't be it. There was no way that he was going to die here against this freak. This wasn't even his time! G would freak out if he never got back. He would never see his dreams come true. He hadn't defeated Spade. He would never find out why that baby spoke so highly of that stupid shrimp. This wasn't going to be his end. He wasn't going to die here. Feeling his energy spike up, he concentrated more, trying to get to the same state he had when he was against Daemon. He was so close… he could feel the fire forming for him, but the resounding sound of a gun snapped him out of his meditation.

Now out of his trance-like state, he fell on his knees, looking at where the sound came from. Reborn stood with a gun at hand and a smirk on his face. Giotto didn't have the chance to wonder where he came from or why he was here because there was suddenly a flash that zoomed pass him. He followed it, seeing that the Vendice Guard was now further from him, zoning on a different opponent. He glanced up where the freak was looking, and what he saw made his jaw hit the floor. Tsuna was flying, and what was even more surprising was the flame. There was a tongue of fire shining brightly on his forehead… it felt the same as the one he had. Somehow, Tsuna seemed different, like he was a whole different person. What were more were his gloves, he wore them and they looked like the ones Giotto had on.

He couldn't question these events, but he just watched. Tsuna's eyes weren't those doe-like brown ones either. They were sharp and calculating… and orange like fire. When he had previously compared Tsuna to light before, this wasn't what he had in mind. Giotto sat there watching as the brunet brought his hands together in front of him, making a funky square with his thumb and pointer finger. The flames about him then began to flicker on and off, and just when he thought he looked like a cannon, the other teen proved him wrong. Tsuna instead shot something similar to an ice storm from his stance. The enemy attempted to escape or counter attack, but his chains fell a few feet short of Tsuna and froze. The Vendice Guard was covered suddenly in ice, completely immobilized.

Tsuna lowered himself to the ground gracefully. Meeting those golden orange eyes with his blue ones, all he could do was gape at him like an idiot. What the hell just happened?


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Hello, dear readers! I apologize for my late update, I'm trying to get my life back in order after midterms, so this had to be pushed back. But I know you don't need excuses, so on with the story! Again though, thank you for all your support! As always, I love you all! Oh, as an aside, if you hadn't noticed, I changed the rating. I had to because of someone's potty mouth last chap. Ha-ha. That's it. Enjoy~

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Chapter Five: Intuition

Vongola Decimo eyed the Vendicare Guard silently, frozen in his ice. He didn't regret his decision to fight. In the confusion when he saw the creature, he had ignored his hyper intuition. That was a bad mistake, it would seem. This didn't feel like something that should have happened. Why would Vendice come all the way here? He allowed himself time to process what just happened before he turned his head and met Giotto's stunned eyes. Tsuna extinguished the flames on him, running to aid the other. He placed his hand with the white mitten on the blonde's shoulder that wasn't injured but before he could ask his customary 'are you okay', the blonde questioned,

"Who… who are you?" Tsuna couldn't tell what the expression in Giotto's face meant. Frankly, he didn't know how to answer that question either, therefore he didn't say anything. He didn't need to, whether that was good or not, as the blonde suddenly swayed and fell out of consciousness once more.

"Giotto-san!" Tsuna had surprisingly been ready, catching the other before he hit the floor, but not without difficulty. The brunet himself almost fell catching the knocked out blonde. For a moment he cursed his inability to sustain muscles despite all the trainings and fight he had already gone through. It would have been nice if he could at least hold someone up at times like this. He whined, "Ah… a little help, Reborn? He's heavy!"

"Dame-Tsuna. How could I help you?" Reborn muttered, appearing beside the brunet. "In any case, you should bring him back to the base."

Tsuna gaped at the arcobaleno dubiously. He turned his head towards the realistic art that he created from the Vendicare Guard, and pointed out, "What about that?"

"Just leave that to Hibari."

"Eh? What does Hiba…" Tsuna had asked but as he turned his head once more, Hibari Kyouya came out of thin air, observing the Vendice. He thought grimly to himself that if the prefect had been there the whole time, then why didn't he help a while ago? The brunet smiled awkwardly as he greeted, "Hi… bari-san."

The raven didn't even look his way, but Reborn did speak to him, "No time to waste, Tsuna. Get going, the more you stay here, the more blood Giotto loses. Let's go."

He nodded determinedly, attempting to stand up. Unfortunately for him, the dead weight on top of him was too much. He was only able to rise a few centimeters before falling down on his behind painfully. Tsuna glanced worriedly at the pained expression on the blonde's face. Even with more resolution than before, the brunet made sure to plant both his feet on the ground before using his legs to push up. He was feeling partly confused and partly victorious of what he had accomplished before he looked to his side to see that Giotto's other arm was slung on the Disciplinary Committee's right hand man. The man with the pompadour met Tsuna's eyes and smiled.

"Tetsuya Kusakabe… why don't you lead the way, Sawada-san?" Tsuna nodded. He had totally misjudged Kusakabe… mind you, he did look as intimidating as Kyouya, and the first time he had seen him was the first day in Namimori. It was tradition to tell the new kids that the Nami-Middle Discplinary Committee wasn't to be crossed. The brunet guessed it just stuck to him.

It took a moment for Tsuna to find their bearing, but once he had, he headed straight towards where they just came from. It was not such a silent trip since Kusakabe was asking him a bunch of questions about what happened. Of course, he tried to answer as much as he could without revealing too much to the sempai. It surprised him that when they got to their destination, a bunch of men in fancy tuxedos were standing around waiting for them, it would seem. He recognized most of them, oddly enough, to be of the Cavallone's, so he had handed them Giotto and Romario was quick to tend to the blonde. He had thanked the raven with pompadour as he made his quick retreat.

After making sure that he was fine, they allowed Tsuna to rest for a bit. Not shortly after, he was joined by Reborn. The arcobaleno observed his student's thoughtful air, as he informed him, "Hibari had taken care of the Vendice. He won't be found any more. But you can't let your guard down… anything that involves the Vendicare isn't a good thing, Tsuna—especially now that you raised your fist against them."

"Eh?! But I had no other choice! Giotto-san was in danger!" The brunet argued, standing by his previous resolve of not regretting the fact that he fought the Vendice.

"Don't you find it strange… how the Vendice would come after you two? When you've done nothing wrong?" Reborn asked, making Tsuna have that signature look of concern in his face. What was Reborn saying…? That Giotto was somewhat involved? How could that be though? If he were truly from four hundred years ago, why would the Vendice want him?

"Well… that's…" The brunet was at a lost for words. What could he say? Sure his hyper intuition was something to go by but it wasn't enough evidence for things like the Vendice. What would they say?

"That's something that I'm looking into right now. Don't worry about it, Tsuna." Another voice said. He turned towards the door, looking at none other than Cavallone Decimo walking in with a smile on his face. He took a seat across from Tsuna who was sitting beside Reborn. He answered the unspoken question from his adopted brother's eyes, "I came to Japan as soon as I heard about Primo."

"Primo?" Tsuna asked. Dino and Reborn exchanged looks, after which the arcobaleno's former student looked timid. It was exactly how a child would react after a scolding from a parent, though Tsuna had no idea why that would be the case. Reborn was definitely hiding something, and the more he hinted, the more the brunet wanted to know about it. It was a bit unfair that information was withheld from him, the future boss of the Famiglia. Then again, maybe he didn't want it, now that he thought about it. Completely ignoring his question, Dino went on,

"I sent men to investigate what's going on with Vendicare Prison, because as far as we know, there isn't any break outs or any trouble. Sending out a Vendice like that is not like them at all." Whenever this man talked about the Mafia and business relating to it, he always seemed like a completely different person. It was almost like how he was like in his hyper dying will mode. Almost, but not quite. "As for the time travel business, we're still looking into it."

"Uh… about the Vendice…?" Tsuna said in a small voice. Both Reborn and Dino turned towards him. The arcobaleno had a feeling that his student might know something. After all, being shot by the hyper dying will bullet was his idea. Fighting the Vendice had been a conscious decision. "I thought at first that my hyper intuition was telling me about danger when it came… but it wasn't that. I felt Rokudo Mukuro's presence before I even fought. Well, it felt like Mukuro but it was different… like he was forced into it."

"But Mukuro is still in isolation in the Vendicare Prison, I think his breakout would have been well broadcasted to the Mafia if it happened." Dino reassured Tsuna, not that he was arguing, but he didn't want them to get worked out of something so dire if there was an easier explanation to things.

"I know but… Ever since our fight in Kokuyo I've always been able to feel Mukuro, but that time with the Vendice felt off. It didn't feel right." Reborn and Dino exchange glances again, silently communicating, it would seem.

The arcobaleno jumped out of the sofa, on his way out. "We'll figure it out. Go home, Tsuna. You have school tomorrow. I'm going to go check on Giotto."

"But Reborn…" He called but the tutor was already out the door. Dino placed a hand on his shoulder. Cavallone Decimo shook his head, but smiling again with that reassuring smile that was awfully convincing. How could he just walk out of this and go to school like nothing had happened? Oh wait. He had done that during the Ring Conflict, why not again?

"Just leave these things to us, Tsuna… the Vendice, Mukuro, and Giotto. When you become a boss, you'll get to join in all the fun like us."

Tsuna fought the urge to face palm. He said his goodbyes and reluctantly made his way out of the building and on his way back to his house. To say that he was going to have a restless night was an understatement. There were so many things going on in his mind… so many questions he wanted to ask Dino and Reborn… and Giotto. But he knew that there was no helping it now. If he knew Reborn, he would have his own way. Tsuna let out a sigh, looking towards the building now. It would have to wait.

"Cavallone." A voice suddenly shocked him from his thoughts.

"HIEEEEEEE!" Tsuna shrieked, surprised that he didn't run into the building for safety. He calmed only a bit when he came to a realization that the person with him was none other than Hibari Kyouya. He swallowed thickly, "H—Hibari-san…!"

The prefect stared at him with an unreadable expression. To diffuse the sudden awkward silence, the brunet asked, "Uh, what are you doing here…? Oh wait, were you looking for Dino-san? He's inside."

Tsuna honestly thought he was going to die from the glare he received from Hibari. He shrieked again and ran his way home like his life depended on it. Looking back at it now, it probably was a matter of life and death.

* * *

"You're awake." Recognizing those words, Giotto sat up, ignoring the pain that shot through his whole body as he did. It hurt like hell. The last battle was one of the worst he had ever experienced. Never mind the fact that going in it, he was already badly hurt. He was against a freak of nature. Something that he would never thought he would see in his life time… and then…

"What happened to Tsunayoshi?" The blonde asked, now looking through those beady black eyes. There was a smirk that formed on the baby's lips as he replied,

"Asking about someone else on your current state…? You two really are related."

He didn't know why he felt heat rising into his face because of that comment. Perhaps it was irritation, even more so now. Deciding to just pass it off, he demanded angrily, "That's not what I meant! During that battle, what did you do?"

The smirk never left Reborn's face as he sat on the side table, taking his fedora off his head. "I didn't do anything. I didn't fight. That was all Tsuna."

"But I heard a gunshot. It's a special bullet isn't it…? That's all there is to it." Giotto was fisting the covers, that it hurt his hand. This wasn't possible. This couldn't be happening. "Tsunayoshi isn't the one special… it's you."

"No." Reborn said in a quiet voice. The blonde looked over at the child who was watching him as closely. What… was going on here? "I think you already know. It's called the Hyper Dying Will Mode, the state in which a person is able to release all internal limiters, enabling them to get access to the fire inside of them, creating awareness. It destroys the body as to pushing it to the limit, but so long as the person know not to fear, the power is almost limitless."

"You didn't answer my question," Giotto pointed out. Sure, he was learning more about himself speaking to Reborn about this… he knew that he was able to go to that Hyper Dying Will Mode when he was literally dying… but there was more to it. There were so many things he had to learn.

"I did shoot him with a Rebuke Bullet, but it only enables him to concentrate and awaken the fire in him, but going onto that state was all Tsuna." He placed his hat back on, knowing that he was doing a proper job. This was where he thought this conversation was going to go.

"So do you mean that everyone you shoot with those bullets, can go on that Hyper Dying Will Mode?" Giotto refused to acknowledge the fact that someone other than him could use such incredible strength. The fact that the wimp was able to do it with a skill that he didn't even know was possible, was even more irritating.

"No. There is only a certain bloodline that would even react to the bullet. As I said, it helps Tsuna get into the Hyper Dying Will Mode, but in no way does it induce it."

"If you shot me with it, would it work the same way?"

"It should, in theory… but I have a feeling that you don't need such bullets. You have accessed it before, haven't you? Because you have looked at Tsuna like you knew what it was like—and if Tsuna hadn't beaten you to it, you would have gone into the Hyper Dying Will Mode in that battle, too." Reborn stood then, his face now void of emotions as he said almost in parting as he jumped from the table to the ground. Once more, he faced the teen as he spoke, "You have a rare gift Giotto. You are able to control your Dying Will Flames through your will. You don't need any bullets or aid to do it. What you have to do is to find a way to actually use those flames… to fight with them and not just in critical moments."

"Then teach me."

Reborn turned his back to him and headed for the door. Before he closed it behind him, he called, "I'm not your tutor. But I have a feeling you already know who can be. It's your call, Primo."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Have I ever mentioned how much I love you, dear readers? You guys inspire me to keep going, so thank you infinitely for that! This chapter has a bit of a different tone to it, I'll let you figure out why for yourselves. Ha-ha.

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Chapter Six: Home

The sun was still high above the great blue sky, clouds drifting lazily around giving a break from the warm heat every now and then. There had never been a more welcome sight. Three days in confinement had put Giotto on edge. The people of that place won't let him out of the room, and he hadn't heard anything from both Reborn and Tsunayoshi. True, it finally helped him recover well enough to fight again, if he needed to, but the confinement was a bit much. He was beginning to think that he was a prisoner, if it weren't for the kind gentleman who often visited him, telling him all sort of things he didn't understand. He didn't really pay too much attention to him, mind being occupied with thoughts of going back to his own time and all.

All he knew for certain was that if he wanted to return, then he would need to find and defeat Spade. In order to do that, he must get stronger, which means accepting the fact that Tsunayoshi—that shrimp—was going to have to teach him more about the Hyper Dying Will Mode. No one else could. It had been a tough decision to make, but he really had no other choice. Giotto don't know why he had let what Reborn had said get to him anyways. Tsuna really wasn't a bad person—admitting jealousy though, was a whole different story.

Finally though, the gentleman who called himself Dino, allowed him to go. The first thing he had done was to find Namimori Middle School, where he would apparently find Tsuna according to the said man above. It wasn't hard to find, but he did worry about the fact that there was a steady flow of people exiting the place. What if the brunet he was looking for had gone? What would he do then? Not wanting to think about that, he leaned against the side of the school gates, watching silently. He observed that most people who passed him were either staring at him strangely or just plain staring. The blonde realized he stuck out like a sore thumb here… they all wore such odd clothes. The people in the twenty-first century Japan was strange… if that was in fact when and where he was. It was still a hard concept to grapple, but what could he do? He had no time for doubts… he had already wasted too much of that commodity for his recovery.

"I'll try my best, Tenth! You can count on me!" A loud voice snapped him out of his trance. Sure enough, it was G with silver hair. He came walking out of school with that petit brunet by his side, and the tall raven not soon after. They were going the opposite direction, completely missing him. Giotto pushed off the wall, and called,

"Tsunayoshi." It was almost comedic how the three of them turned simultaneously at the mention of the name. What was even more amusing was how different their reactions were. The towering boy with black hair was smiling. The person of his interest was surprised. The one that looked like G… well…

"You—"

"Giotto-san! You're alright!" Giotto couldn't help the smirk that formed on his lips when Tsuna all but run towards him, cutting off whatever profanity it was that the G look-alike was going to say. He didn't know where that came from either. He nodded at the brunet. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"I needed to speak with you… in private if you don't mind."

Giotto replied his tone of speaking soft, but by the glare he was receiving from the G look-alike, they seemed unconvinced. The blonde couldn't give a damn about what his friends thought, all that was relevant to him and accomplishing his goal to go back to his own time, was the small brunet. It was his opinion that matter… _his _decisions and words that would affect the time traveller's fate. After conversing with his friends, and reassuring them after a million times, they seemed to have come into an agreement. He received another heated glare from the one that looked like G, and a long stare from the other before they finally went on ahead of the two of them. Once the two were far enough, the blonde cleared his throat as he spoke,

"I'd like to apologize to you… the way I spoke to you before and how I acted. I guess I was just a little startled about the time travel thing." Giotto didn't even know if he was being sincere about that apology. He wasn't sure himself, but he knew that he had to say that nonetheless. He never took himself for being such a good actor. "And thank you… for saving me from that thing the other night."

Tsuna looked a bit red, waving his hands in front of him, as if to stop the Italian from continuing. He looked embarrassed, if anything. "Ah… it's nothing, Giotto-san. It's all in the past so… we're okay now. Uh, is that what you came here to talk to me about?"

Those brown eyes were burning holes into his soul even just curiously asking him a question that didn't really mean much. There was this intensity behind them. The pureness of their holder was truly overwhelming. A man could drown in those eyes. Giotto found himself looking away, as he continued to mumble, "I have a favor to ask of you, Tsunayoshi."

The smaller teen cocked his head to the side in curiosity. Still unable to look at the other, the said young man asked, "What is it?"

"I need you to teach me about controlling the Dying Will Flames."

"The Dying Will… eh?! You could see it?!" By that, he realized that perhaps just like the Special Bullets, only some people can actually see the flames. "So back then… you were…"

"I know about the Hyper Dying Will Mode, but only what Reborn had told me. You need to teach me about it."

"Uh… Giotto-san… even if you can use the Dying Will Flames, I don't think I can teach you. I don't know the first thing about training someone. Besides, I don't even know how I can make you go into the Hyper State… I guess we could ask Reborn. But I…"

"If I can't even defend myself against that Vendice, how can I possibly defeat Deamon?" Hands into fists, Giotto finally looked up, meeting Tsuna's eyes. For the first time since meeting him, the blonde allowed himself to open up. He wanted to convince his only hope of getting home that he would do anything to return to his own time. Not that he liked the idea that he would need to learn from this scrawny young man who he'd only seen fight once—nor the fact that he was called a potential great leader while leaving Giotto to feel unfit for that role. Tsuna was deep in thought so the blonde took that chance to grab the brunet's hand on his own and continued his plea, "I can't stay here in this time. This isn't where I belong. I need you, Tsunayoshi. So just… please."

Tsuna looked up at him, composed. Giotto was a little taken aback by the look in those determined brown eyes. It reminded him of that night he was in the Hyper Dying Will Mode that night he fought the Vendice Guard—as they keep calling it, and still he had no idea what that meant. It was the first time he saw the spark in this brunet that made him think of what Reborn had said about him. More so when he spoke, "I said we'd find your way back to your time, so if this is what we need to do to do that, then I'll do what I can."

"Thank you." Giotto said with a sincere look on his face. He didn't know what else to say, truth be told. He didn't know how in the world Tsuna could just agree to helping a stranger who had been anything but kind to him.

"Since I have no school tomorrow, why don't we start then?" Tsuna suggested with that smile too bright to be human. Giotto didn't have it in him to refuse what the young man said. There was something about him that was hard to ignore. How could he ever speak to him the way he had before? How could he yell at someone like him? The blonde was sure that the feeling would be the same as punching a baby. Giotto nodded, turning the other way. That went easier than he had hoped, surprisingly. Things didn't usually go this smoothly for him… they never do. He was going to head back to that… god knows what residence he had been in the past couple of days.

However before he even took a step away, the brunet called him again, "Wait, Giotto-san… where are you going?"

"Back to Dino's…" He said, uncertainly, now that he was asked. Not like he had anywhere else to go. Giotto turned, seeing if it was possible for one person to lose their vision from looking at Tsuna and his smile. He felt that he was coming close to that.

"Well… Um… Dino-san actually just returned to Italy, you won't exactly have anyone there to help you out and everything." It was astounding how one moment he was ogling at the maturity and power behind Tsuna's eyes. Now he was shaking his head on how timid and abashed they were on such simple matters. He had no idea where this conversation was going. The brunet seemed to have gathered enough of himself to go on, "Why don't you stay over with Reborn and I? I mean, only if you want… actually my house is a little crowded, but a guest room is still empty. I'm sure mom wouldn't mind, and plus if you go back to the Cavallone's, I don't know how you're even going to eat properly. That is—uh… o-only if you want, Giotto-san."

The blonde stared silently at the other for a while. The last thing he wanted to be was to be an intruder his life, asking for his help in training was enough. Now this? Still, as he looked at the other, he was reminded that anyone who had the ability to refuse Tsuna had got to have super powers. He didn't know how he could have said 'no' such an offer. He nodded his head once and Tsuna let out a 'really' and a relieved sigh. With that, the blinding smile was back on the brunet's face as he began to lead them home. The trip there was silent, to be honest, Giotto was half expecting something else to jump out of nowhere and attack him. After all, there must still be a reason Daemon had sent him here. That was the part of this that he still didn't understand. Why this time? What was so special about it…? Could it have something to do with… no. Of course not. Why would it have anything to do with Tsuna?

Speaking of which, the brunet just turned into a path way leading into an ordinary looking two-story house. The same one he had appeared in just a few days ago. Tsuna ushered him inside, and he stepped in consciously. Giotto followed the other's lead, gingerly taking off his shoes before he stepped in the silent vicinity. He stayed back as Tsuna called out, "I'm home! I brought a friend over."

"Oh, just in time Tsu-kun, c'mon in the kitchen. We're having pudding." A woman's voice called out from behind the nearest door to where the two of them were standing. The brunet walked over to the kitchen, the other assumed, beckoning him to follow. Cautiously, he followed his host, slipping into the room. Giotto stood there, observing the suddenly awkwardly silenced dining area.

There was a woman with short hair… and the same bright brown eyes as Tsuna's, only without the hidden edge, staring at him with mouth slightly ajar. That one, he could only assume to be the said teen's mother. Three kids were sitting on the table. The first was a boy with bright green eyes, and a funny-looking fluffy hair. He was dressed in a cow printed outfit that had him wondering if all kids in the twenty-first century dressed up as animals. The creepy looking one whose slanted eyes seemed to be squinting more at his sight though, answered his question with a 'no'. The eldest was not much older, but nonetheless wore the same expression as everyone else.

"Uh… everyone, this is Giotto." Tsuna finally dispelled the uncomfortable air, smiling wryly to himself. He introduced in order, "Giotto, this is my mother, Nana. That's Lambo, I-Pin, and Fuuta."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," He said almost robotically. The blonde fought the urge to roll his eyes as he bowed down in respect. What? Did Tsuna just forget that they were practically twins with faces one and the same? Whoever said it was a very good idea to even bring him here and have him meet his _mother_? What if she thought that her husband committed adultery to have someone like Giotto to exists? As he looked up though, he was surprise to be suddenly under the scrutinizing eyes of Tsuna's mother who had stepped towards him. For a while longer, he fidgeted uneasily, before the woman's face softened into a warm smile. Giotto looked away, heat rising to his cheeks inexplicably.

"Make yourself right at home, Gio-kun."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: ** You what time is it? It's Update Time! Thank you dear readers for coming here and continuing your support. You guys are the reason why I'm still updating, and I don't know how many times I can say this, but I feel humbled by all your kind words, favourites, follows, and continued reading. You guys are literally spoiling me. Anyways, I'll stop rambling now, on with the story!

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Chapter Seven: Failure

"Giotto-san…" The brunet called in a smooth baritone, not even sure if the blonde could even hear his voice. The said teen was a few feet from him, on his knees and breathing irregularly through his mouth. Vongola Decimo would commend Giotto for being able to even put up a fight against him weaponless but for the gloves that oddly looked like his X-Gloves.

After Tsuna had agreed to this, not really knowing what he signed up for, things had been… difficult. Without Reborn with the Rebuke bullets, and Giotto refusing to use the Dying Will Pills… they were at a dead-end. He didn't know how he could teach the blonde how to even get into the Hyper State, if he couldn't even do it himself without aid. Tsuna had insisted that it was impossible to just to enter it, but the blonde wouldn't hear it. He didn't know how Giotto managed to convince him, but soon they were fighting. Tsuna was in his Hyper Dying Will Mode, and Giotto taking a serious beating. It was useless and he should have put a stop to it a long time ago…

But a day after they started training, they were still going. Giotto never listened. He wondered if Dino had the same problem when he was training Hibari.

"This is enough," Tsuna's Hyper Mode self said with finality. Giotto looked up glaring murderously at the brunet. The millionth time the blonde fell on his knees, Tsuna finally extinguished his flames. The other remained still, using his arms to support himself. Not only was he in the bad physical condition entering in to today, he must be mentally exhausted, too. He watched worriedly as Giotto began to hit the ground with his fist in frustration.

"We're not done! Go back, damn it!" He hissed. Tsuna only frowned worriedly, walking to where he was. He crouched to meet Giotto's heated gaze with his calm ones, and smiled. He noted how the time traveler averted his eyes away suddenly. He spoke in a quiet voice, "I don't understand why it's not working…! I'm in the verge of death against an opponent I can't defeat. It's the same as when I fought Daemon and the Vendice… I don't know what I'm missing. You have to fight me with a killing intent, damn it! Why can't you do that?!"

"We're both not missing anything. It's your fire that's the problem… you have to understand that despite its name, the Dying Will Flame isn't about life or death." Tsuna was sure it was still his hyper intuition speaking, despite the fact that he was just regular Tsuna. These were things he noticed when he was in the Hyper Dying Will Mode. He placed a hand on top of the blonde's as he continued, "The Dying Will Flame inside of you is awakened by your resolve and controlled by your awareness. You have to know what you're fighting for, and hold on to it. That's how you're going to achieve the Hyper Dying Will Mode."

Giotto stayed still for a while, unable to look at the young man in front of him. He seemed deep in thought, so Tsuna waited for him patiently to process what be just said. When he came to, he snatched his hand away, standing up with a gruff, "Don't touch me."

Tsuna sat on the ground then, waiting for the other to calm down. It was well noon by that time, he reckoned—lunch sounded well right about now. They spent the day yesterday trying to see if they could trigger Giotto's Hyper State through combat, without much fruit aside from the two of them being exhausted to the point that even walking home seemed impossible. When they started today's training, there was still no difference. Since Giotto's method wasn't working, and for some strange reason Reborn refused to help them out, the brunet decided that they were going to do this his way now. It didn't hurt to try since they were running out of options.

He had somehow managed to force Giotto into eating the packed lunch Nana had made them. It had been surprisingly easy for his mother to accept Giotto into the house. Then again, after five other before him, one would think she'd be used to it. Tsuna was just thankful to have such a great mother who never seemed to question so long as they were all right. On the other hand, he hadn't heard any complaints from the blonde, if anything he seemed calmer and more mature compared to the time he first met him. Perhaps having catapulted into the future would really mess someone up. The only time he ever saw that raw side of the other was when they were training. But it had been well and good for the most part.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you, Tsunayoshi. It's been… frustrating." Giotto said suddenly, putting down his empty bento box. Tsuna looked up to see those ocean eyes stare at him with regret—and yet still the underlining sadness in them remained. It reminded Tsuna how much this young man must miss his home. Though it had only been a couple of days, they hadn't heard anything about getting him back to his time, the Vendice, Rokudo Mukuro, or Daemon Spade. Reborn had been somewhat distant on top of all that. The brunet only smiled reassuringly.

"It's alright… maybe we just haven't been going about this the right way." Tsuna replied as he began to put their things away.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that each person is different, so each person's Dying Will Flame is different and therefore, must be triggered in different ways as well." The brunet placed everything away, and once he finished he sat back down in front of Giotto, crossing his legs to get comfortable. "Like how Xanxus used his hatred to power up his flame. As for me, the Dying Will Flame is always protective, and is at its strongest if I have to protect someone or something. You have to match that calm strong flame I felt from you in my Hyper State, Giotto-san."

Giotto stared at him, and he knew right away that he might not be making any sense. Explaining it was a lot easier in his head than now that he was actually saying it. Tsuna bowed his head in defeat, wracking his mind to think of something else to say. The blonde was counting on him to learn to fight better, but he couldn't even teach him properly. He didn't want this whole weekend to go for waste. Where was Reborn when he needed him? It would have been easier if Giotto just accepted the Dying Will Pills.

"How exactly do I do that?" The other asked, deep in thought.

"You're going to have to figure that one out on your own, Giotto." A very welcomed voice replied for Tsuna. The brunet's face lit up, seeing the Sun Arcobaleno jump from practically nowhere. The two teen eyed the hitman silently, a bit surprised by his appearance here. "In any case, the two of you had trained enough for today. Why don't you head over to join the others in the festival and take the rest of the day off?"

The brunet's face lit up. He had forgotten about the festival in all these excitement. Well, actually, he had chosen not to go with everyone else to help Giotto. This certainly was a very good surprise. Tsuna was just happy he wouldn't miss out on anything with his friends. After all, they had planned this for a while. No sooner said than done, they were already home and he had already showered and dress. The teen had called up the rest of them who had apparently been in the fair already, waiting for him. He didn't ask how they knew that he was going to come after he had cancelled, knowing that Reborn had something to do with it.

Tsuna stopped in front of the guest room door where Giotto had been staying hesitantly before he knocked. The blonde hadn't said anything since the question about his Dying Will Flame. He had though, refused to join him out. The brunet had been persistent though… there must be a reason Reborn had set for this to happen, after all. Everything that the arcobaleno did ultimately had his and the other's well-being in mind—ultimately, if you squint. It took a couple of moments before he heard a mumble of 'come in' from the other side. As he opened the door, he started,

"Giotto-san, are you sure you don't want to come? I'm sure the rest won't—HIEEEEE!"

The shriek cut off the rest of his sentence. He shut the door again, tying to regain his composure after turning fifty shades of red. Though it was only a glimpse, Tsuna caught sight of the other's naked torso. The image seemed to have burned itself in the brunet's mind. The blonde was sitting on his futon, the first aid-kit… oh. The young man on the other side of the door calmed himself, taking gulps of air at a time. He gingerly opened the door once more, seeing that in that time, Giotto had turned his back towards the door. The blonde's head was turned slightly so he could see the other. Tsuna, though he could still feel heat on his face, could now see the extent of the other's injury from training. He had tried to hold back during their sparring, but Giotto was resilient. He should have known.

"I… I'm sorry you just surprised me… I didn't... uh, did you need help?"

The blonde in question didn't say anything, but instead turned his head so that he was facing away from Tsuna completely. Taking that as a yes, the teen hesitantly entered the room, closing the door behind him. After muttering something about not really knowing what he was doing, Tsuna picked up a balm for the bruises all over the other's back. It has been silent except for the soft hiss and winces Giotto would make, followed by a quick apology on Tsuna's part. Otherwise, the quiet was relaxing.

"Why are you doing this?"

The question Giotto asked came out of nowhere. Tsuna was quick to reply, "The balm will dull the pain… it should also help it heal."

"… no. I meant why are you helping me? I'm nothing to you but a stranger. The only thing you'd gain from going though all these is the fact that you can get rid of me afterwards." The brunet stopped applying the ointment then, unconsciously just pressing his palm against the other's skin. He could feel the ripples of the other's strong muscle underneath as he breathed. "You could have just denied me, and I wouldn't even be in your hair right now."

"I don't think I need a reason to help you, Giotto-san." Tsuna said in that mature tone of speaking he sometimes possessed—ever so rarely though. "You would have done the same thing if you were me. To tell you the truth, the first time I saw you I felt the sadness behind your eyes… I don't know if that was because you felt out-of-place or time, but I wanted to make it feel better. I knew what that felt like, when the world only seem to care about itself. Before Reborn, I've always felt that way."

The blonde turned to face him, that same sadness he had seen was clear now more than ever. The brunet continued, "But now I have Gokudera-kun, Yamamoto, and everyone else so I don't feel that way any more. Reborn would even go as far as to calling them my family, and I get it now—because they are my family. This might sound strange, but there's something about you that always made me feel like you're part of that already… that's why…"

They stared at each other for what felt like forever. Tsuna could sense that the other had something else to say the way his ocean blue eyes seemed to dance. There was a familiar feeling of comfort coming from the way Giotto was just looking at him. It was strange how much he felt like he had known him all his life though he'd really just met him a couple of days ago. Tsuna didn't even know anything about him—yet he didn't need his hyper intuition to put his trust to this young man. The brunet wasn't lying when he said that he really did feel like Giotto was a part of those people he considered a family despite being the perfect stranger. He wanted to erase that sadness in those ocean eyes. Tsuna just wanted to drown on the comfort he was receiving from them now. He felt dizzy from the warmth… this feeling…

"Family… huh?" Giotto's voice came out as a whisper, breath tickling his skin where it reached. If it weren't for that, he wouldn't have realized how close they were sitting from each other. Moving away from Tsuna, Giotto dressed in a new crisp shirt he had borrowed from the missing Iemitsu. The brunet remained where he was, trying to stop his heart from busting out. He didn't understand why such a trivial thing would make his heartbeat hammer against his ears. He didn't know why he had always felt somewhat nervous around this man. He certainly didn't get what that feeling was just now. That feeling that made him felt like he's floating on air, drowning in space, and burning under the sun, all at the same time.

A hand in front of his face snapped him out of it as he pulled himself together. Giotto said then, deadpanned, "I thought we're going…?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Ugh. I'm running late and I didn't want to go this week without updating, so this chapter is a bit all over the place since I didn't have the chance to edit and actually read through this. So I apologize in advance for any mistakes and eyesore. In any case. AAAAHHHH! I've got to run! Sorry dear readers, I'll make it up to you next week! (Oh and thanks again for being here. It really does bring tears to my eyes to see your support for this little idea turn to a story! I would have never thought... oh okay, I really have to go now.) Happy reading!

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Chapter Eight: Difference

He wore the orange hoodie with the number '1' printed on the back that Nana had gone out her way to buy the day before. Giotto had to be the rudest person in the world if he refused such a present from a woman who hardly knew him. She was exactly like her son, kind-hearted and naturally a good judge of character. He knew that living in the Sawada residence and getting used to the people around him couldn't possibly be good—he couldn't let himself get attached, and yet this household had an incredibly strong hold on him in the two days he had been here. Was he falling for this family? It must be because back in his time…

The blonde shook the thoughts out of his head, realizing now that Tsuna, who had been walking in front of him as per usual, was looking at him with an unreadable expression. When he met his eyes, the brunet quickly turned his head, and said nothing. He had no idea what that meant, but he followed nonetheless. He had changed his mind about this socializing event. He wanted to come and see this _family_ that Tsuna had spoken so highly of… the blonde had a feeling that once he met them, he could understand the other better—maybe then, by looking at things through his tutor's vantage point could he know more about the Dying Will Flame.

Giotto didn't have a family. Both his parents were dead, and as far as family goes the closest one he had to one was G. Sure, what Tsuna had wasn't a real family either per se. Of the people in this house, only Nana and Tsuna were actually related by blood. Reborn was here because he was Tsuna's tutor… or something, but that didn't change the fact that he was a baby. Lambo and I-Pin were too young to be anywhere else, so they were adopted in this family as well. Bianchi—apparently related to the young man who looked like G—just invited herself to live where Reborn was. Fuuta, the young boy was here after being saved by Tsuna, whom he calls 'nii', which didn't suit him as much as the word leader did, Giotto thought. This weird and random assortment of people… along with his friends that the blonde had met was his family. Tsuna's strong resolve reflected in his Dying Will Flames were for the protection of this family—they were his reason to fight.

That was what Reborn had been trying to tell him… this was the difference between him and Tsuna.

"Tenth! Over here!" Once more that familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He hadn't realized that they had turned into a rather busy place In all honesty, to the blonde, it looked like a market with a bunch of odd looking stalls. Even not knowing just what this 'festival' was about, he was sure that it had something to do with those beautiful white trees. He had never seen anything quite like this before. Tsuna beckoned him to come along, joining the rest of them. The one that looked like G automatically sneered at him. "Tche. Why are _you_ here?"

"Hie! Tsuna-san has a doppelganger!" The brunet girl in what he could only guess was traditional Japanese clothing—seeing everyone else around them wearing something similar—squeaked, gawking at the blonde in awe.

"Eh? I didn't know Tsuna-kun had a brother." Another girl said, with similar clothing and auburn hair.

"A pleasure. My name is Giotto, I'm Tsuna's cousin from Italy. I hope you don't mind me tagging along, Reborn thought it'd be a good idea for me to see the festival tonight." Giotto said smoothly. He had managed to introduce himself without divulging the entire truth to them. Good one. The group gave an understanding nod.

"That's EXTREMELY fine with us! The more the better! We'll totally have an EXTREME night!" The man with cropped silver hair yelled. Giotto flinched at the suddenness of it all, more so when he continued, "I'm EXTREMELY pleased to meet you! I'm Sasagawa Ryohei! My favorite word is 'EXTREME'!"

"Really? I couldn't tell." Giotto sarcastically droned, with a smirk playing on his lips. The one that looked like G let out a grunt and continued to leer at him murderously. Tsuna made a face that looked like he was thinking dryly to himself about Ryohei who had began to rant on.

"Uh… you might know them already, but this is Gokudera-kun—" The G look-alike's expression didn't change, if anything it looked more menacing. "—and Yamamoto."

The tall one gave a 'yo' and a grin. The blonde nodded at the both of them as respect. From there, the brunet continued to introduced the two others: Haru—the brunette that also tended to say 'hie'—and Kyoko—the one with auburn hair, the timid sister of Ryohei.

As it turned out, this festival was about those beautiful white-pink trees that were a big thing in Japan. Giotto didn't say much as the night went on. He stayed near the back of the group. He was just watching as they went about different stalls trying all kinds of games and food. Tsuna would always give him half of his share—grilled squid (calamari?), octopus dumplings (they call it _takoyaki…_), chocolate-coated bananas (_shut_ up.), and a plethora of other food that he had never even heard of in his life. He was a bit reluctant to just gobble them up, but once Tsuna came all the way to the back of the group for him, holding up yet another food on a stick—what was with the stick?—and that smile, he **had** to eat them.

For the rest of the time, he would listen, as Gokudera would argue with Ryohei or Haru about the most trivial things. Yamamoto would immediately jump in to stop them from making too much of a fuss, but then he would end up being the next target of Gokudera's wrath. Kyoko could calm Ryohei, but once the silverette started, there was no stopping that one. Not only did he look like G, he was exactly like his red-haired friend. It was only when Tsuna would finally step in that the storm would calm down drastically. It was the same thing each time.

Towards midnight, they were up in a shrine, watching as the sky lit up in colorful flames, mocking him. As much fun as he had learning about food and Japanese tradition in the twenty-first century he still had other things to worry about. He had to admit… it had been a nice distraction, if that was what Reborn was going for. Making sure that he won't be missed, he slipped away from the group as stealthily as he could. Only if he could—

"Giotto-san?" Damn. He turned to face the brunet, his tutor, now making his way down the steps to meet him. "Where are you going?"

"Home… I have a lot in my mind." He replied honestly, shoving his hands into his sweater's pockets.

"Oh… I was really worried about you. You didn't say much at all tonight, and I thought that I… I didn't want you to feel alienated. Reborn talked to me and he said to try and keep your mind out of your troubles, he said that it would help you… and I…"

Giotto didn't know how long Tsuna could have rambled on if he hadn't interjected, calling his name softly, "Tsunayoshi."

"Y—yes?" The blonde realized that bipolar side to Tsuna was there again. One moment, he was speaking like he could be a speech therapist for the king, the next he was too flustered to even look up. One moment, he looked like he could lead an army, the next he looked like a fitting nurse in a war. What was with this boy?

"It's alright. I had fun tonight, thank you." More so, he was beginning to understand the dynamics behind Tsuna's Hyper Dying Will Mode. He reckoned that in no time, he would find his own way to grasp it, too—which was all that mattered. "Now go back to your family, Gokudera will kill me if he sees you here."

"F-family?! No, they're just friends! And... you're a part of that. I don't want to go back to them without you..."

What could he say to that? The blonde said nothing, but allowed himself to be pulled by the hand and dragged back to the group. As the two of them ascended the stairs, before coming in close proximity to the rest, Giotto had mumbled,

"Giotto." Tsuna stopped for a moment, to look at him in confusion. The blonde avoided those eyes that just looked freakish bathing in the light of the colorful explosion in the sky. He continued to speak in the exact same way, "Just Giotto… you can drop the prefix thing."

For a moment, they just stood in awkward silence. He could feel that Tsuna had turned his head away, but he was too afraid to actually look at the other's expression. That was his cue to lead then. He walked them the rest of the way back to the group. Everyone was too busy watching the explosions to notice, or someone did but chose not to say anything, the two of them joined the others hand in hand. Giotto didn't even realize this until he felt his tutor's hand squirming to get free. He immediately released it and he hid his hands back into his pockets. On that note, the night ended once the light show was over. They all walked home in contented silence, random chatter here and there.

Haru was the first one to break away from the group. Once they reached a certain intersection, Yamamoto turned to his street, and opposite of him were the Sasagawa siblings. In the end, it was just the three of them walking towards the direction of Tsuna's house. Giotto was having a nagging feeling that the reason Gokudera stuck around was to keep an eye on him. When they did finally reached their destination, the silverette turned and said in goodbye,

"Well, I'll be off, Tenth! I'll see you in school tomorrow!"

"Careful on your way home." Giotto called cynically. Gokudera glared at him, before he barked,

"Bastard! What are you trying to say?!"

"Nothing, I was just making polite goodbyes." The blonde shrugged, with a taunting smile. Oh, this guy was just too fun. He was starting to miss G through him. Maybe that was why he was channeling his childhood friend through this one.

"I'll show you polite!"

Tsuna opened his mouth to speak, but not fast enough. Instead a familiar woman's voice stopped their bickering, "Don't waste your time, Hayato. You know you can't intervene with your own boss's relationships."

Gokudera had registered what was said, and he could have processed it, too, for it wasn't for Bianchi appearing by the gate. He let out an out-of-breath 'aniki' before the sound of stomach grumbling was heard no sooner when the silverette hit the floor. Giotto watched amusedly. He would ask what was going on, but Tsuna was quick to mention a question to the elder one first,

"Uh… what do you mean intervening with my relationships…?"

The rose-haired woman turned his gaze from her passed out brother to the brunet and then to Giotto. "I'm just trying to tell him that he has no chance with you since you're with Giotto."

"WHAT?!" The two exclaimed at the same time. Tsuna turned beet red, while the blonde stared incredulously at the woman before him. What in the world would make this woman think _that_?! Of all things! This was ridiculous! Preposterous! Did he look like a damn narcissist?!

"We're not… I'm not… HIEEEEE! I'm going to bed! Excuse me!" Tsuna was freaking out, it would seem. The brunet ran into the house, leaving a very confused Bianchi, a passed out Gokudera, and Giotto who was still in shock.

"Bianchi, we're not… in a relationship. I barely know him." Giotto said, trying to keep his voice steady and his composure. Bianchi knelt to pick up Gokudera and slung him to her back with her surprising strength.

"So… you two were just kissing the other day for fun…? Kids these days." Bianchi muttered barely above a whisper as she began to walk her brother home. Giotto, couldn't help the heat rising to his cheeks at that time. He had vowed to get back on Reborn for that, but he realized he could pretend it never happened, just as his counterpart did. He couldn't continue doing that now though, since he wasn't even sure if Gokudera heard what Bianchi had said. Damn. Giotto shook his head, trying to shake off unwanted thoughts… of how Tsuna's lips felt warm and soft. They felt like his hands… like his Dying Will Flames, petal suppleness yet fiery in its own way…

Woah… wait… was he just thinking about—?! Giotto wanted to punch himself. He stormed into the house, and locking himself in his room. What he wouldn't give to forget the way this almost perfect night ended. He swore next time he saw Reborn, baby or not, he was going to punch the living daylights out of him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Good... middle of the night, dear readers! I apologize for the late update or the fact that I'm updating in the middle of the night (I have no time) but I thought it'd be fair to let you know that exams are coming so I won't be able to post chapters up as consistently as I did in the past. After my exams though, I'll make it up to you guys! Since I'm pushing for an update on my other fic on D18-day, I'll try to have time to post the next chapter then. Before that... I don't know. We'll see what happens. Anyways! Thank you guys for being here the support is what keeps me going! I love you all very much! Enjoy this chapter! Happy reading!

* * *

Chapter Nine: Cloud

"Good morning," Tsuna greeted as he opened the door to the kitchen. He didn't know if he should be relieved that Giotto wasn't sitting where he had sat the last few days. After last night, he didn't know how he could even face the blonde. At that thought he caught Bianchi's smiling eyes and Reborn's full on smirk, making him bristle like a provoked cat as he sat uncomfortably across the two. It was a usual breakfast aside from the torturous silent taunts he was receiving from the other side of the table. The brunet was sure he was out the door by the time he heard the door to the guest room upstairs.

Ever since last night, he had thought about that small incident that taught Giotto how to speak Japanese. Maybe that was one of the reasons why he felt nervous every time he was around the time traveller. Perhaps that was what he was supposed to feel…? But… Giotto certainly was an interesting person. Though he looked exactly like Tsuna, his cerulean eyes were mature in experience—a long story of hardships—that gave off that inexplicable air of loneliness. That loneliness he wanted so desperately to replace. Unconsciously, he touched his lips with his fingers gingerly. Those lips—

"Tenth!"

"HIEEEEE!" He jumped, suddenly realizing that everyone had gathered around him, looking a bit worried. The brunet let out an awkward laugh, trying to shake off what he had thought of before. The blush on his face still evident as he walked on ahead, pretending like nothing happened. He shouldn't be thinking about Giotto in that way. It was wrong. Reborn had said that it was possible for the two of them to be related, right? So then why was he...? Tsuna shrugged the thoughts off his head, trying is best to bury them out of the way. He was in front of everyone else as they walked awkwardly towards Nami-Middle.

Damn it. It was Kyoko that he liked! This wonderful innocent young woman walking along side of him was his crush. The only reason he was thinking of Giotto's lips was the fact that he had actually kissed him by accident. He was sure that if it were Kyoko he'd be thinking about her… right?

His thoughts were in replay. That was what was going on his head as he sat through math class, completely missing the lecture on perfect triangles. That was also what was going on his head when he daydreamed when he should have practiced English. Those were the same thoughts he had as he mauled over history as well. So to say that he was over thinking things, were a bit of an understatement. He didn't understand what he felt when those azure eyes were fixed on him. He didn't know why he felt a certain kind of warmth every time Giotto was around. He wasn't sure why he felt the way he did, or which words to pick to actually describe them. All he knew was, he shouldn't be feeling them. He knew what it was but he didn't want to admit it…

It was attraction. He was attracted to Giotto… what aspect of him wouldn't he be drawn in? But it wasn't the same kind that he had towards Kyoko or his guardians… he had a hard time describing it even to himself. But he knew it was wrong. Whatever infatuation it was that he was feeling, he had to forget about it. Giotto was from the past, and he was probably related to him by blood, which part of that wasn't wrong? It was kind of scary… he barely knew the guy…

"…na? Tsuna, are you there?" Said young man blinked, looking around him to see that the majority of the class were already gone, save for his two friends who stood around his desk. Yamamoto Takeshi grinned brightly when he saw the recognition in his friend's face. "There you are."

"Tenth…! I told him not to disturb you but he wouldn't listen!" Gokudera piped up, leering at the tall raven beside him whose smile didn't falter.

"It's lunchtime, I thought the three of us should eat lunch on the roof, like before."

"Three? Since when was it the three of us?!"

"Since… always?"

"Don't get cheeky on me! And wipe that smile off your face!"

"It's okay, Gokudera-kun… I think it's a good idea. Ha-ha…" The laughed on the end was awkward and forced. Tsuna finally decided to step in, knowing that if he didn't most likely dynamite would soon be drawn. He stood from his desk, gathering his things. Yamamoto smiled wider, and all the storm guardian could do was mutter something to himself that sounded a lot like 'baseball idiot'. But before he could even get ready to leave, the door to the room slammed open forcefully, making everyone turn towards it.

"Tsunayoshi!" A far too familiar smooth voice called… there was only person he knew that ever called him that. Tsuna's eyes widened as he dropped his bag to the floor on the sight of Giotto. He looked around as if to check if he was hallucinating, but everyone else in the room was eying the blonde, too. He was really here.

"EH?! G-Giotto?! What?!" Panic ran through him as he pressed the urge to push him out of the room… of the school… just out of here. As he walked towards the time traveller, he became wary of all the glances he was receiving both from inside the classroom and from the people outside. "What are you doing here?!"

"You left before I woke up… I should be asking you that. What are you doing here? Let's go already." The brunet could feel himself turn red. What was he saying?! Why would he say such things in a school filled with hormone-packed middle schoolers?!

"Are you crazy?! You can't be here!" Tsuna started to push Giotto from behind, who merely leaned his weight to stop the movement. He wasn't going anywhere it would seem, and they were making a scene. This wasn't good. He could see Gokudera throwing a fit in his peripheral, Yamamoto trying his best to calm him before anything happened.

"Oh? And what am I supposed to do? Tsunayoshi I can't do this without you."

"You have to go, hurry before—"

"Who gave you herbivores permission to flock?" A distant threatening voice echoed the hallway. Too late. The people quickly cleared, and all Tsuna could do was shriek. Giotto stopped leaning on Tsuna's hand that was attempting to push him not too long ago. The air between the cloud guardian and the time traveller instantly turned freezing. Tsuna was on the verge of a breakdown. "You… you're trespassing school properties during school hours."

"What's it to you?" Giotto retorted back, standing his ground. Tsuna opened his mouth to try to stop this madness before it even began, but who was he kidding?

"I have to time to deal with delinquents. I'll bite you to death." The tonfas appearing on both hands of the prefect looked deadly. The brunet closed his eyes, wishing that it would pass and that this wasn't real, but he felt someone pushing him gently away. When he opened his eyes, to his horror, Giotto had his gloves on, stepping forward.

He knew he should have stopped the two, but a part of him was curious. Giotto was the first to move, running swiftly with the same fluid motion as he had when fighting Tsuna. The blonde threw a graceful but speedy right hook, his hand blocked by the junction between Hibari's arm and the tonfa. It was hard to follow, but Tsuna could see their movements. A smile appeared on the blonde's lips before he quickly ducked, seeing the swing of the free arm of the other. He came up to slam his elbow against the skylark, but he hit nothing as the other jumped back. There wasn't even time to breathe as Hibari came in for the attack. The black-haired young man swiped at the other with his weaker arm, aiming for the face. As the blonde evaded on the direction the skylark had foreseen, he used the other hand to drive a downward blow, aiming to crack open the other's skull. It didn't hit the other though as the time traveller caught the tonfa with his hand. He held it in place, trying to pry the weapon away from the other.

Being the one that was never unarmed in a battle before—aside from one with a certain haneuma—Hibari quickly reacted, sweeping a kick in an attempt to knock the other off his feet. Giotto let go of the weapon to favor jumping away from the attack. There wasn't time to gather his thoughts as Hibari was onto him again. The blonde saw the tonfa coming, anticipated it and got ready to catch it one more time. However before the Italian could reach for the tonfa, the sound of Tsuna's voice broke his concentration, "Stop this! Giotto! Hibari-San!"

The brunet watched, as Giotto immediately froze, while Kyoya unaffected, hit the blonde with a perfect blow to the side. Tsuna winced, all too familiar with the pain coming from those accursed weapons of the prefect. Giotto sat up with an 'ouch', glaring up at Hibari who had put his weapons away. The skylark spoke in finality before turning away, "Get out of my school, herbivore."

Tsuna ran over to here the blonde was, followed closely by his guardians. He helped the time traveller get to his feet, but it was Gokudera who spoke first, "Tche. Serves you right."

"Want to go at it next, old man?" Giotto taunted, making Tsuna frown. Why did he insist of provoking Gokudera?

"Bastard! Who's old?! Your four centuries older than me!"

"Now, now… let's go on to the roof, we'll wait for Tsuna there." Yamamoto cooed as he pushed the silverette away. Tsuna gave the raven a small appreciative smile as they went.

"What?! No! I'm not leaving the Tenth with that sketchy bastard! Let me go, baseball idiot before I blow you up!"

"Don't be stubborn, Gokedera, Tsuna can take care of himself."

"Why you—!"

The two of them waited for the noise to die off, before Giotto commented with a smirk on his lips, "He really doesn't like me."

Tsuna's lips twitched in a grim smile, before he muttered defeated, "It doesn't help that you purposely make him angry."

"He reminds me of someone from my time… especially when he looks like he's ready to kill me." A sad smile crossed the blonde's features. Tsuna looked at where his guardians had gone and back at the young man before him.

"Giotto…"

"Tsunayoshi." The blonde started with that tone of voice. Tsuna didn't let him continue, knowing that it won't take much for this young man to persuade him into doing something he would regret. It was the same when he asked him to train and when they ended up sparring to death.

"You have to go, Giotto. You can't just drag me out during school. Reborn will kill me if I neglect my studies…" He reasoned. The blonde just stared at him. To which, he didn't know how to respond. There was something about those eyes, searching and peeling away his skin. It felt like Giotto was staring right at his soul, searching for something only he knew where to find.

"I'll wait for you then." The blonde finally said, Tsuna was getting uncomfortable under the time traveler's stare.

"Uh… okay, but back in the house. Go home, please?" He really didn't want Giotto causing any more trouble than he already had so far today. Being back at the Sawada residence seemed to be the best option. With disappointment written across his features, the blonde nodded. He said nothing more as he left Tsuna alone and confused.

He later joined his two guardians in the rooftop, trying to eat fast to least get something in his stomach before class started yet again. That little trouble with Giotto took a while longer to sort out as was. He was a little surprised though, probably so were Gokudera and Yamamoto, when Giotto showed that he could go up toe to toe with the unanimously strongest guardian they had in the family. Then again it should have been obvious the way he could stand in a fight against Tsuna in his Hyper State. The silence though was unbearable. He was thankful when Yamamoto finally spoke, "What was that about, Tsuna? What did Giotto want?"

"Oh… I'm actually helping him train," The brunet replied, unsure how to answer the second part. From where he was standing, Giotto wanted trouble, hence, why he even fought against Hibari.

"As expected of the Tenth! You're so kind! That does it, I, your right hand man will help out, too!" He offered, that determined look in his eyes. Tsuna made a face, how could he help Giotto if he clearly couldn't even stand him? That was enough though to encourage the other to also say,

"I'll help out, too! Giotto needs all the help he can get!"

Tsuna smiled warmly at his two guardians. Was he lucky or what to have such great friends? He lowered his bento box still with that smile, but before he could even speak a word, he found that it was impossible to say something when your face was pressed against the floor. "Gokudera, Yamamoto… that won't be necessary. This is something Giotto and Tsuna have to figure out on their own. He's not training to fight, you've seen for yourself what he could do even against Hibari. The training is actually for his Deathperation Flames, Tsuna is only there to give guidance because of his Hyper Dying Will Mode… but this is really all up to Giotto."

"I understand, Reborn-san, but.."

"Don't you have faith on your boss?" Gokudera and Yamamoto were both silenced, the brunet on the other hand finally sat up, rubbing the ache where Reborn's foot connected with his skull.

"Reborn! Stop doing that! I am not _boss_! I never agreed to that, and what were you saying about—" Yet another hit was dealt to the brunet sending him flying towards the door. In his pain and wallowing he hadn't realize that the lunch bell rang off over. "—OW! REBORN!"

"Get to class, dame-Tsuna."

* * *

**OMAKE**

Giotto wished he could roll off the bed to wake himself up, but there really was no bed to roll himself off. Damn futon. Damn floor. Damn house. Damn Bianchi. Damn Kiss. Damn Bullet. Damn Reborn…

The curses just kept rolling in his head as he stood up and got dressed. After a quick trip to the bathroom, he changed out of his clothes and exited his room. The moment he had stepped out of his room, he heard the front door hurriedly closing. The blonde walked his way towards the kitchen and as soon as he had, the first thing he saw was Reborn. Speak of the devil. Without hesitation he charged into the baby who was standing on the table with his fist. Seeing the blonde, the arcobaleno jumped up, kicking the back of the time traveler's head into the table, where he fell face first into the omelet that was his breakfast.

"Ciaossu, Giotto. Getting sloppy?" The sun arcobaleno greeted with a smirk on his lips. The blonde didn't move from where he was, mumbling through the food,

"I hate you." It was a good thing that Mama had gone somewhere, or she would have to see the mess that he had made. Sitting up to compose himself, he glared at Reborn, ignoring Lambo who was calling him egg-face or something. He had a feeling this wasn't going to be a very good day.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Hey, dear readers! Welcome back! Sorry for the wait, and this filler chap, but I'm still pretty occupied with exams. It will all end in 48 hours and then I'm a free bird! Happy D18 Day! (Though you guys probably don't care, haha~ my OTP FTW) Before my rant discourages you from reading this fluffy chapter, I'm gonna end it here. Thanks for coming and the continued support! I'll see you after I've got through hell and back! I love you all!

* * *

Chapter Ten: Understanding

He couldn't shake the feeling that he knew that boy who attacked him. Giotto didn't know here from, but it bugged him as he walked out of the school. If anything, they should blame Dino for being the one to tell him where to find Tsuna. He had fun nonetheless, that skylark with the batons was a good challenge. Was everyone in this time better than him in fighting? The blonde was grumbling to himself, trying to find his way back to the Sawada residence. When he reached the house, he found that no one was around. There was a note on the kitchen table, informing him that everyone was out shopping. With a sigh, he dragged his way upstairs, stopping on the door with a wooden fish. Giotto traced the writing of Tsuna's name with an upturn on the corner of his lips.

For reasons he couldn't fathom, he turned the handle and looked in the room. It looked like an ordinary room. There wasn't anything there that would have given away that this was his makeshift tutor's room. There was a bed, and here he was under the impression that all Japanese people slept on futons. He though that Dino's place was different because he was Italian. Giotto scowled, jumping towards the mattress. That felt better. He made a mental note to ask the brunet if they could switch rooms. The blonde lay on his side, closing his eyes.

The pillow smelled like Tsuna.

* * *

Tsuna was glad that the day otherwise went normally. He was though, the subject of constant stares from random classmates. That, he didn't get. He was sure that it had something to do with Giotto and his little visit, but even then he didn't know what it was about that would cause this unwanted attention. The brunet was just happy that Kyoko wasn't around to see what had happened, but with the extensive rumor vine in Namimori Middle School, he just didn't know what everybody had heard. Trying to ignore it was a bit hard considering that even walking out the school as per usual with Yamamoto and Gokudera, he was receiving those unreadable stares. He was almost thankful for his storm guardian who sneered at everyone he caught glancing funnily at him. As always, Yamamoto was clueless, and was making light conversations to help him pass the awkwardness of it all the whole way home.

"I'm home," Tsuna called as he tossed his shoes to the side. He noticed the lack of them, figuring that they were probably out shopping. A part of him wondered if Giotto went with the rest since the house did seem awfully quiet. There was a smile that escaped him, imagining the blonde, who was rather coy around his mother for one reason or another, shopping and ogling at almost everything that he saw. He liked to ask questions about the little things, curious about the electrically ran appliances especially. The brunet was even remembering the first time the other had seen a television set.

He went straight for his room dumping his bag to the side routinely. He loosened his school tie, walking over to his table with his homework in hand. His chocolate eyes observed the peaceful surrounding about him, which was rather rare in this household now. His room was in order. Reborn wasn't anywhere in sight, which was strange. He knew that the arcobaleno had been busy figuring things out about Giotto. It was rather odd that he would get so involved towards a person that wasn't Tsuna, it was refreshing in a way, but still suspicious. Giotto was sleeping peacefully on his bed—_what_?

"HIE! Giotto?!" Tsuna exclaimed falling on the floor on his behind. He rubbed the ache tenderly before turning back to the blonde in his bed. He didn't know why he was here given that he had his own room. The brunet was surprised that the other hadn't wakened up from the noise he was making. Cautiously, he inched towards the other, observing the slow rise and fall of his chest. Like this, he seemed peaceful and calm—like his flame. Awake, there was a small part of him that couldn't find peace, that was what Tsuna thought to be the reason he couldn't achieve the Hyper Dying Will Mode despite being able to stir the Deathperation Flames inside him. He watched silently as his own hands brushed away the blonde locks that had fallen to cover a part of the sleeping young man's face.

Giotto had a strong jaw line, defined and prominent. Even relaxed in his sleep, the details of his bone was there, all covered in a perfect stretch of skin that hugged every dip and curve of his neck, down to the collarbone. Tsuna wondered for a moment if he was sculpted instead of formed when he came into this world. He had long eyelashes beneath the eyelids that currently shielded those deep ocean eyes. Those eyes drowned the brunet every time they were fixed on him with so much hidden emotions. The small button nose in the middle of his face was angular, like the rest of it, but soft enough that it didn't look too obstructing. He wondered if angels had anything against this one's sleeping face. He ran his eyes over Giotto's feature once more before they fixed on those slightly parted lips. Tsuna flushed, pushing Giotto away, not really knowing what he was doing anymore.

The blonde cracked his eyes open in a glare, grumbling, "Huh…? Tsunayoshi…? What was that for?"

"What are you doing in my bed?!" Tsuna asked, still a bit shaken by his own actions. Was he just watching the other sleep?! Oh, this was weird.

"Sleeping." Giotto replied, laying on his back. "Why did you tell me people in the twenty first century Japan slept in beds and not futons?"

"Uh… I thought that would have been obvious."

"Obvious? Why are you making me sleep on the floor? I want the bed."

"Eh?!" Tsuna stared at him incredulously. It was hard to believe that he was the one providing this blonde with food, shelter, and clothes—and he had the guts to complain? He liked him better sleeping.

"Can we go now? I've waited the whole day."

"No." Tsuna opened his mouth to speak, but the words that came after weren't his. Especially since the brunet was currently on the floor instead of sitting up where he had been a few minutes ago, wondering why he was hurt. He looked up, rubbing the ache on the side of his head as Reborn appeared.

"Reborn!" He protested angrily, receiving yet another unnecessary blow. The arcobaleno merely smirked, looking at Giotto who was now sitting up on the bed, watching the exchange with a slightly confused expression on his face.

"Tsuna isn't going anywhere. He has homework to do." Reborn told the blonde.

"B-but we can do it after! It won't take too long." Tsuna was quick to add, as if in reassurance.

"That won't work either. You have school tomorrow, I can't have you exhausted for that."

"Wait a minute… you're telling me that Tsuna's school is more important than training me?" Giotto asked, losing what sliver patience he had left entering the conversation. "What am I supposed to do when Daemon comes and I still can't go on the Hyper Dying Will Mode? What would I do then?"

"It's fruitless to keep on training if you still don't understand anything. I will not have you waste Tsuna's time." The sun arcobaleno said coldly staring at those ocean blue eyes. Tsuna was horrified of what Reborn had said. It wasn't that it was a lie, most of what he said was true, but he didn't have to put it that way. That was just cruel.

"Reborn! That's not—"

"No, it's alright, Tsunayoshi. Reborn's right." Giotto cut him off, eyes still fixed on the small one's beady black ones. When he lifted his gaze to meet his, there was something behind those azure irises that he couldn't decipher. The only word that came close to describing it was disappointment. He slid of the bed, and called as he disappeared on the other side of the door, "I need fresh air."

Worriedly, the brunet stared at were the other disappeared to. He turned to his tutor, who was also looking where the blonde had been. The raven spoke as he turned to look at him, "You aren't cut out to be a tutor, dame-Tsuna, but you're the only one who can help him. Do you remember what I told Gokudera and Yamamoto, about your role Giotto's training?"

He recalled what the other had said, and when he had realized what his tutor had been trying to tell him, he mumbled it under his breath, "It's... all up to him...?"

A familiar hum left the hitman's lips as it formed a smile. Reborn leaped out of the bed and said in farewell, "Exactly. There's no need to worry, Tsuna. Now do your work, Giotto will be fine."

Despite that reassurance, for the most part, Tsuna had been thinking about Giotto. It was hard to focus on physics knowing that he had let the other down. He knew that what Reborn did was necessary, but still. There must have been another way to make Giotto see that it wasn't enough knowing the things he knew. Knowing that the Dying Will Flame manifests because of one's resolve didn't mean it would come easily. Giotto had to understand it, not just know it. It took more than that to actually get to the Hyper Dying Will Mode.

He was even more worried when the blonde didn't appear for dinner, nor was he up in his room when he was asked to check. The brunet kept on glancing at the empty spot in the table, and no one seemed to be worried one bit but him. It occurred to him that he might be over thinking things, but he couldn't help it. Tsuna always looked at things while putting himself on Giotto's shoes. He hoped that he was just exaggerating… he hoped that Giotto was all right. Tsuna went to bed that night, deep in thought still since Giotto didn't come back yet. The brunet stared at the sleeping Reborn for a few more seconds before he retired to his bed with a sigh. He looked at the ring around his neck, and wished for things to be easier than they were now.

"Tsunayoshi," A gentle quiet voice called, making the said teen stir from his sleep. He blinked blearily, seeing the image of Giotto come to view. Tsuna was still a bit too sleepy to process what was going on, and so he only stared at the blonde. The other teen, stared back before he commanded softly: "Move over."

The brunet blinked a bit, trying to keep his eyes open long enough to even understand what the other was saying. He didn't move, but instead continued to stare at the blonde. His features looked sharper under the light coming from the window. The moon illuminated those azure eyes, making them look like a pair of sapphires… and his skin glowed nicely. Even more surprising was the blank look he had on his face, Giotto always seemed thoughtful to Tsuna, never this… calm.

With a sigh, the time traveller gently pushed Tsuna to one side of the bed. The sleep-drunk teen complied, making space on the bed though he had no idea why for. Giotto lay on the space he made. Tsuna could feel the warmth coming from another body beside him, and it was lulling him back to sleep. Tsuna unconsciously nuzzled the warmth, inching closer. It might just be his imagination, but the brunet heard the blonde mumble something like 'I am not sleeping on the damn floor' before he allowed slumber to claim him once more.

* * *

Normally, he didn't like it when he was disturbed from his sleep, but this time he'd make an exception. Reborn jumped from his hammock, and down the stairs where Bianchi stood holding the phone out for him. The arcobaleno took the phone from the rose haired woman who sat on the floor patting her lap.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your sleep, Reborn… I forgot about time zone differences." Dino excused with a hint of humor on his voice on the other side of the line. Reborn could tell his former student wasn't at all sorry about waking him up, he was pushing it by thinking the arcobaleno didn't hold grudges.

"That's not important, what have you got?" The small man asked, hopping on the sitting Bianchi's lap. The rose haired woman combed her fingers through his hair comfortingly.

"Not much, I'm afraid. Information from the Vendice is scarce, but they don't seem at all concerned with any missing guards." The mafioso reported, and Reborn could hear papers ruffling in the background. "Rokudo Mukuro is still in there."

The silence was unnerving. Dino, like Tsuna, could hear the gears turning in Reborn's head. "If Mukuro can transfer his consciousness to Chrome and use her body as a proxy… then…"

"Wait, you don't think Daemon…"

"It's to early to jump into conclusions. But we can't ignore the fact that Daemon Spade is very similar to Rokudo Mukuro, and he's after Giotto. It's too happy of a coincidence that Tsuna felt Mukuro when they were attacked by the Vendice. Something doesn't feel right." Reborn mused out loud, letting both parties in earshot think about it as well. Right about now, he would take any form of answers he could get. Nothing made sense. How was Daemon able to send Giotto here in the future and for what reason? At this age, if his research was right, they wouldn't have even met. Where was he now?

"There's something else, Reborn." Dino intervened, making reborn hum in question. "The Bovino family dates back even before the Vongola but under a different alias. Ever since then their speciality had always been—"

"Time travel." Reborn cut in.

"From what we gathered, there was a prototype weapon created a little after their family's alliance with the Vongola, that could have worked to send Primo here to our time." Dino paused, and Reborn could hear his former student sigh. "But even with technology nowadays, it would have taken an incredible amount of energy to make it work."

"Does it work backwards?" Reborn asked, leaping to his feet. It made sense now. It was starting to come together. "Could it send someone to the past?"

"I don't see why it wouldn't. What are you getting at?"

"The Vongola Rings." Reborn stared off into space. It made sense now. Daemon would have had the ring when the Bovino allied themselves with the Vongola. It could have provided enough energy to make the prototype time-weapon work. But why would Daemon go to the past just to send the young Giotto into the future? What was he planning? Why to this time? Unless he didn't plan that… after all Tsuna's Sky Ring was the one that reacted to Giotto's appearance here, as if he was pulled to this particular time and dimension. Was that it then?

"Good job, Dino. Now get yourself back here. If what I'm thinking is right, then things are about to get messy."


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! This chapter is LONG overdue, I know. But I had a busy holidays, which I hope all of you had as well. Now new years is coming and it seems like a big celebration (let's face it, we're all secretly happy there _is _a 2013 coming after the whole Mayan thing). Anyways, thanks for sticking with me, guys! All the support mean so much to me! Now on with the story! Happy reading and Happy New Year!

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Chapter Eleven: Confusion

Giotto didn't like it. No, he really didn't like this. He lay stiffly on the bed, barely breathing. Tsuna had used his arm as a pillow, and was dangerously close to him. The brunet's face was millimeters away from him that he could feel his slow breathing. A small hand was pressed lightly against his chest. Somehow their legs had tangled together in a mess, and he was trying, oh so hard, to keep his groin away from the sleeping brunet. He didn't think about how comfortable the warmth of Tsuna's body felt close to his. He tried to ignore how perfect Tsuna looked sleeping. This was the first time in many days he had regretted sleeping in the same bed as Tsuna.

After the whole argument with Reborn he had been very thoughtful the last couple of days. He hasn't bothered Tsuna about their training since he had school—five freaking times a week. Who thought that this was a good idea? Who would want to go to school five time a week? In any case, Giotto had learned to slightly adjust to this life. If Tsuna wasn't home, he usually spent his time with the children. He found that keeping his mind occupied helped him to stay clear from the issue of his apparently weak resolve. Whenever the brunet was around, he would be by his side, observing. Giotto had learned many things about the smaller young man in hopes of understanding his power.

As far as he could see though, Tsuna was just an ordinary teen. His so-called tutor constantly bullied him. He never got angry, always just smiling or panicking. His friends would most of the time come over, and they would have a mini party all on their own despite not having anything to celebrate about. That ordinariness was what Giotto didn't get. How come someone who lived a mundane life like Tsuna even knew how to fight? Why did his incredibly strong resolve have to be to protect if this life really was quiet and simple?

The brunet stirred from his sleep. Judging by the way his body suddenly froze, Giotto didn't have to look to know that the other wore the same flustered expression as his had been. From some strange reason though, they both stayed still.

"Why do you fight, Tsunayoshi?" Giotto asked quietly whispering to the unruly brown hair in front of him.

Perhaps it was the fact that the blonde hasn't brought this topic up in a while that took Tsuna by surprise. He didn't reply immediately, trying to find his words. When he did, his voice didn't show a hint of hesitation, although it sounded a bit questioning. "To protect those who are important to me...?"

"I figured you would say that… but what for? Why do you need to fight of there's nothing to fight against? Who are you fighting? Why for?" The stream of questions was stopped when he felt a gentle touch on his chest, just above his heart. Giotto's voice dropped to barely whispers as he continued, "Back in my time, the streets of Italy are crawling with bad people: thieves, murderers… you name it. I wanted to change the way things are. I wanted to protect those who are weak, to make lives more fair because no one else should experience the hardships I had. So I started a vigilante group with my childhood friend, hoping to do just that. It's my dream to stand up for those who can't, and for that I need to fight."

That was the first time he had told anyone here about himself. Giotto suddenly had a lump on his throat, remembering his time… and all those he had left behind. Some days it crossed his mind that he might never make it back home. Unconsciously, he tightened the grip he had on Tsuna's hips. "I can't live a life of a typical teenager given my circumstances… but you don't have to. So… why?"

Tsuna stayed silent for a while. For those passing seconds, he feared what the brunet would say. He wanted to remember what his answer would be. He needed to know. The brunet moved, looking up and meeting his eyes with those intimidating clear brown irises as he spoke, "I hate fighting… I don't want to hurt people, and I don't want to see anyone get hurt. I can't really tell you why… but I really don't have a choice on the matter either. Now that I think about it, it's kind of forced on me... but that's okay. I'll fight if it means keeping the people I care about safe... or something like that."

"Well said, Tsuna." Reborn's voice broke the solemn aura. Registering what was happening the two teens scrambled to untangle themselves from each other. Once they had, without embarrassing each other further, they sat on the ends of the bed as far away from each other as possible. Giotto couldn't look at Tsuna or Reborn, finding sudden interest on the duvet he was laying down on not too long ago. "What are you two sitting around for? It's finally time to train."

Giotto dared to look at Tsuna, but they had done so at the same time. Ending up meeting the other's eyes, the blonde looked away with a scowl. What in the world is wrong with him?! He was scolding himself, when he heard,

"Get going, dame-Tsuna." Followed by the familiar sound of shoe hitting skull, and face hitting the floor. Giotto turned to check at the brunet worriedly but he met Reborn's smirking face instead. The infant threatened pulling the chameleon from his hat, "Do you need to be told twice, too, Giotto?"

Giotto shook his head 'no' before running out the brunet's room. If there was one more thing he learned living with the Sawada, it was that no one crosses Reborn… _**ever**_. He didn't know if his hammering heart was because of his fear for Reborn, nerves for this training, or something else entirely.

After eating breakfast, they made their way back to the mountains. Giotto had to wonder how they would train if the two of them couldn't even look at each other. One thing was for certain though… he understood things better now. He knew that in order to become stronger he just have to hold on to that will that would take him home. He had to get back to his own time, it was the only way he could achieve his dream. When they reached a good enough opening, Reborn jumped down from Tsuna's head, walking over to the side. For the first time, they would be training under the baby's watch, but not supervision as he had clearly stated on the way here.

The blonde stood for a moment, watching Tsuna who was doing the same. Giotto grabbed his I-Gloves, slipping them on. He saw the brunet's brows furrow for a moment, examining his weapon of choice. In those seconds, he saw flashes of confusion and recognition in those eyes. Shrugging it off, the teen slipped on the familiar white mittens with the number '27' on them, Tsuna's favorite number, seeing that most of his things had that number. Why? Giotto hadn't asked, but he had observed. The other brought his hand to his mouth, and the sound of the Dying Will Flames echoed to the blonde's ears. The mittens on his hands turned to black and white gloves, much like his. He was now noticing why the brunet had been staring at his hands a while ago. The similarities between their weapons were astounding, but where his had symbols that was similar to the western letter of 'I' (thus, the name), Tsuna's were of an 'X'.

Taking his eyes off the gloves now, he got ready in stance, looking at those sharp fire-like eyes of Tsuna. The other warned, "Get ready."

It took only mere seconds before the fire in the brunet's gloves propelled him to where the time traveler was. Giotto got ready to intercept, blocking the quick sucker punch the other had thrown, getting ready for another. He observed his movements, trying to think about nothing… to keep his mind at peace. From somewhere, he heard Reborn's advice telling him, "Keep your calm, Giotto. Focus."

He did as he was told, breaking contact with Tsuna to have some space. He took a deep breath, focusing the fire inside of him. He thought of going home, of returning back to G and of achieving his goals. He thought of Tsuna and his admirable qualities that he had turned a blind eye on because of his jealousy. Giotto saw now why Reborn had called him a great leader—because he was. The blonde could feel the fire stirring, but before he could even focus further, the brunet was in front of him already. If he hadn't ducked out of the way, the punch that the other threw would have sent him flying. Giotto retaliated, trying to get the young man before him far away from him enough so he could will his Dying Will Flames to grow and awaken his awareness, as he was told to do. However, it was proving difficult as Tsuna relentlessly returned his attacks.

There was only one thing left to do… he was going to try and awaken his Hyper State in the middle of battle. He let his instincts detect which way the brunet was attacking so he could avoid or block when necessary, while he focused on the flickering fire inside of him. He could almost feel it flow through him, he felt closer to the Hyper Dying Will Mode than he had since training a week ago. It was difficult though, because just as he could make the fire in him burst, his concentration was broken by a hit that sent him travelling across the battlefield from impact. As he skidded to a stop, he stood right back up to his feet. He gritted his teeth together, watching Tsuna from a far. He needed a new approach. This wasn't going to work.

"Calm down." Reborn's voice broke him from thinking. The baby had somehow managed to get on top of the tree closest to the blonde. Giotto threw him a stare, his eyes slanting with slight frustration.

"I am." He hissed, before he went on the offensive. The blonde swiftly made his way back to Tsuna, attempting to over power him long enough so he could focus on his flames. Despite what he had told Reborn, he, too, knew that he was slipping control.

Sure enough, his prediction had been right. He couldn't find an opening with Tsuna on his Hyper State. To make matters even worse, the brunet wouldn't let out on the attacks either. He couldn't overpower him. There was no way he could keep on dodging the other's attacks at the same time trying to awaken the flame in him. Giotto had let frustration get to him, and he knew it. The problem was, the blonde wasn't sure how he was even going to keep his calm on that situation. How was he going to learn how to focus if he wasn't given a time to awaken the flames inside of him?

He knew that in a real battle situation, he wouldn't have that opportunity either, but it would help if training would at least give him that. The end of it all convinced him convinced that it wasn't his fire that was the problem. The issue here wasn't his calmness or focus either… it was Tsuna. Perhaps he would be better off training himself. He didn't understand why he still couldn't do it. He thought that the last few days had thought him how to be calm… how to keep that calm and focus. He believed that his resolve to go home had strengthen since the last time… so why?

Giotto tried to even out his breathing, gasping for air as knelt on the ground. The sunset was casting an orange glow on the ground, mocking him. A hand in front of him snapped him out of his reverie. He looked up to see Tsuna's reassuring smile. He was no longer in his Hyper State, offering him a hand up. Reluctantly, the blonde took the hand and stood to his feet. He was exhausted, and once more he failed to awaken his Hyper Dying Will Mode. He couldn't even let out his Deathperation Flames despite feeling a strong grasp on it. He caught Reborn's glance that was empty, but he knew that the infant was as disappointed in him as himself. The only one here that was probably sympathetic about all these was Tsuna.

The blonde had been quiet the rest of the day. He was deep in thought, trying to figure out where he went wrong. Giotto had been so sure he could do it—so why? Was his resolve really not strong enough? Was going home not enough of an incentive to make his Dying Will Flames stronger? What was he doing wrong? His thought process was a cycle of the same questions, but he couldn't find the answer. The more he thought about it, the less became sure of things.

As he opened the door towards Tsuna's room, the brunet was already fast asleep and so was his tutor in his hammock. Giotto slipped in the room quietly. Laying down on the space the other had left him on the bed. He looked at the sleeping brunet beside him, solemnly. The blonde felt bad for blaming his failure on Tsuna who had done nothing but his best to help him. Still, he didn't get it. What must he do? He ran the back of his fingers gently down Tsuna's cheek, tracing his jaw. Giotto stopped as he eyed the ring that was around the other's neck. Something in his gut churned as he touched the surprisingly warm metal. He let out a breath, taking Tsuna's hand to his own.

He wasn't going to give up just yet.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Hello again, dear reader! I know you're probably getting sick of me thank you all the time, but know that it is always sincere and coming from the bottom of my heart, as they say. Thanks for being here and I hope you enjoy this chapter. There isn't much to say, after all. Ha~ha~! Happy reading!

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Chapter Twelve: Nightmare

He woke up with Tsuna's hand still on his. The brunet was still sleeping, snoring softly. Giotto glanced at the hammock, keeping himself alarmed, as Reborn was no longer up there. Today was Sunday, and if he remembered correctly, Tsuna didn't have school either. That only meant that the two of them would be training today as well, which he didn't mind at all, truth be told. The only problem was he was afraid of disappointing yet again, not himself but Tsuna, specially. Reborn and Tsuna had been helping him extensively since the beginning of it all. What if their hard work wouldn't pay off? What if Giotto was only capable of the Hyper Dying Will Mode once in his life and he had used it up against Daemon? After all, he didn't know if the flame he could feel inside of him was real or just his imagination as well.

"Tsunayoshi," he called faintly. The brunet's eyes fluttered open, trying to blink away the remnants of sleep on his lashes. Giotto waited for those drowsy brown eyes to focus on him. "If things don't work out, I would like to thank you for all that you've done for me."

A frown crossed Tsuna's soft features. Giotto gave his hand a small squeeze, comfortingly. The two of them broke eye contact when they felt something feather light jump on the base of the bed. The blonde sat up, followed shortly by Tsuna, now looking at Reborn who made his appearance. It was bound to happen sometime today. The infant said with a smile playing on his lips, "Are you giving up already?"

"Who knows?" He replied with a disheartened smile. Before he could process what was going on, the back of his head hit something hard… the wall. Giotto realized that Reborn just hit him towards the wall.

"HIEE! Are you okay—ow! Reborn!" Tsuna wasn't spared either. He was kick towards the head board of the bed. The hitman doubling, as a tutor, was particularly ruthless today, Giotto observed. He wondered if this was yesterday's frustration letting out or just another normal day for the raven infant. The thought was terrifying to say the least.

"You two really are related. How pathetic." The blonde sat up, leering at Reborn. The baby turned towards him, this time without that smirk on his face. The way his mood swung reminded him of Tsuna's own unpredictable change in attitude. It was almost scary how the two were similar in that fashion. "Listen to me, Giotto. I meant it when I told you that you have a gift. There is no one else in this time that I know of that could access the Dying Will Flames with their calm instead of extreme emotions—in hindsight, it should be easier for you to do so. The reason why you can't is because you doubt yourself and your resolve, which in turn frustrates you. Do you know then what that does?"

Giotto nodded thoughtfully. Both teens on the bed were silent, looking at the small man before them. They were both silently thinking why Reborn had waited up to now to say something, but he had his ways. Letting that sink in, what Reborn said next caught Giotto unprepared. "Your desire to go back to your time is weak. You have to decide what it was really that you want. What—who are you fighting for?"

For a moment, he didn't understand what the other meant, and then it hit him like a ton of rocks. He turned his head to face Tsuna who was looking at his tutor in confusion. Reborn was right. He might keep telling himself that he needed to become stronger so he could defeat Daemon and go back to his time, but that wasn't what he had been thinking of the past few days—if anything that was just a small part of his thought process. He had been focused on Tsuna. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense now.

The reason why he had been watching the other closely was not to understand where his power was coming from, he already knew the source of it. The sound of Tsuna's voice always made him hold his breath. The feeling of his skin was enough to make his mind go blank. Those brown eyes turned his knees to Lambo's favorite dessert. His smile… his light… He didn't just acquire admiration to the teen's praiseworthy traits, but Tsuna himself, as a person.

He realized now why he couldn't hate the brunet.

"Giotto?" Tsuna called to him worriedly. He stared dumbly at the brunet for a while, before he reverted his glance. Swallowing thickly, he managed to mutter,

"Let's get going." Giotto weakly exited the room. When he was in the safety behind his own doors, he collapsed on the ground, heart wildly beating on his chest. Was it true? Was the brunet really hindering him to go back? But he had to go back to his own time… he couldn't stay here forever… right? He wouldn't want to be stuck in this time forever… right? He didn't belong here… right? He was shock that he couldn't even answer those questions.

Going into training, he found that what Reborn had said didn't help him at all. If anything, it threw him to an even deeper point of confusion. That was evident by the way he sloppily sparred against Tsuna. He couldn't keep up with the brunet's attacks, easily taking blows. The time traveller couldn't even begin to focus his fire because he couldn't feel it. If he had a weak resolve to go home the day before, now he just had nothing to go by. He was at a lost, and he was going to be stuck here. Even with that thought, he couldn't decide if he should be angry or worried about it. His head was anything but calm.

This was apparent to Tsuna's Hyper State who relented his attacks after the millionth time he had hit the ground. Giotto weakly stood even if they had just begun training. He knew that they were at another dead-end when Tsuna extinguished his flames and put away his mittens. He didn't protest though, but merely stared at the ground, letting out a frustrated sigh. In an instant, the brunet was by his side, looking at him with eyes filled with concern. He hated seeing those eyes with anything but that bright light, and the fact that he was causing it, didn't make him feel any better. If he felt closer to the Hyper Dying Will Mode before, now he had never felt further from achieving it.

Giotto couldn't look at Tsuna in the eyes. It was too hard to. He felt like he was going to fall apart right there and not know what to do. He had never been so unsure about anything his entire life. The blonde was about to let it all out, when he felt something. There was a sickening wave that washed over him, feeling an aura suddenly closing in on them. He stood on his feet quickly, looking alert. Tsuna who seems to have sensed the sudden change in his demeanor, began to look about worriedly as well. The confusion and doubt on his mind suddenly cleared as all his senses were on high alert. He didn't like this feeling.

"It's been a long time, Vongola." An eerily familiar voice rang from the thick of the trees. All the hairs on the blonde stood, the warning bells in his head going insane. He felt like a starved cat trying desperately to defend his dinner from something he knew he couldn't fight. His hands rolled into tight fists, as he placed his hand in front of Tsuna protectively. It felt like forever, but he could make out the sound of footsteps coming in closer. Finally, he could see the figure of a man—or a devil in the shape of a man—from a short distance. The low chuckle that rung in his ears sent chills running down his spine. No.

This couldn't be happening. He must be having a nightmare. He didn't want to believe that the event before him was really true. It was impossible. Why now? He gritted his teeth together, in an attempt to calm himself, but he knew it was too late.

From the shroud of the trees came a young man. His features were sharpened as the light from the streaming sun shone onto him. In his hand was a long sleek rod with an elegant trident end. He wore matching green clothing, which he could guess to be some sort of a Japanese school uniform; buttons open revealing a blue camouflage shirt. He had navy colored hair but was styled the same way: straight in the front with a small mess on the top that oddly gave his face a shape of a certain summer fruit. It was his eyes that made Giotto bristle like a provoked cat. One was blue, and the other was red with a distinct marking on the pupil. The smile on his face stretched from ear to ear as he said in a sing-song tune, "I'd ask if you missed me, but judging at the look on your face, I'd say that you did. Did you enjoy the present I sent you? I hope you had fun because the Vendice would pretty much want that useless trash back."

Before he could say anything, the brunet behind him gasped loudly at the sight of the young man before them. It was Tsuna who spoke first his voice shaky, "Rokudo… Mukuro…?"

Giotto risked looking away from the bluenet before them in favor of turning at Tsuna. His features were visibly shaking, and he paled to what he only recognized as fear. Why was Tsuna calling Daemon that name? How did he know the man who sent him to this time? He was questioning this when the other spoke once more, "Oh, that's right. You can call me that if you want to."

"What's going on here, Daemon?" Giotto demanded, surprised at the control he had on his voice. He could feel Tsuna's glance on him and the confusion behind them.

"You can call me that, too… although… hm. Okay, technically you can, so go ahead." The man said nonchalantly, obviously finding amusement at the confusion he had thrown the two look a likes before him. He chuckled his signature laugh, looking between the blond and the brunet. "That's really… creepy. Has anyone told you two that you look like twins?"

"Who are you?! What have you done to Mukuro?!" Giotto was taken aback by the sudden certainty in the sound of Tsuna's voice. For a moment, he thought that he might be in his Hyper State, but those brown eyes stared intensely at the man before them.

"You mean this body? How did you know… heh, I guess you really are who the boy's memory says you are." The smirk on the bluenet's face softened into a smug smile. "You're right, I'm not Rokudo Mukuro, but really how could I be? He's stuck in the Venidicare. I am in this body right now because of a strong connection. Quite frankly, the same thing happened when I visited the past, I attached to young Daemon Spade's body. See, my consciousness could travel through time, but not my body for some strange reason."

Giotto stared at the man before him in confusion, as if what he was going through wasn't enough as it was. He managed to ask again, "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"Who I am doesn't matter. But I suppose, I can indulge you. I am Daemon Spade, but from a different time stream from you or this one. I was going to play around with the time stream to see which possibilities would lead to my ideal outcome, but it turns out one misplaced person in time and the Vendicare is all up in your ass, so this is my one and only shot in making things right." The trident in his hands twirled and he hit the dull end of it on the ground commandingly. The two teens were silent, trying to process what they just heard. It still didn't make sense to Giotto why Daemon would want to do this to him. What has he done in the bluenet's time that made him hold enough grudge to mess with the time stream?

The smile once again in the man's face turned into a grin that made Giotto feel goose bumps running on his skin. "What I want from you is your life. I want you to die, but as always you're resilient. Even as a brat, you're still so stubborn. I went back to the past to get rid of you but you went batshit crazy on me. So I thought to send you to the end of time, but for some strange reason you're pulled here. It took me a while to find you, but here you are—but I do think that it has something to do with that boy beside you. No matter. I will be collecting your soul now, if you don't mind."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Hello again, dear readers! Again, I'd like to thank you for being here, once again without fail! Always a pleasure. Tuesdays is such an awkward day to update, so I figured I'd start updating this day instead. So, happy reading!

To my anon reviewer, as always, thank you for the review! It's much appreciated, I'd usually rant but that would make this AN freakishly longer than it should, so I'll keep it as that. Don't worry, this story is clean, sticking by the rating after all.

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Chapter Thirteen: Revelations

Tsuna knew that something was wrong. Giotto didn't feel like himself since this morning as he stared off to space… well, more than usual at least. What Reborn had said should have helped, but it did the opposite and he really didn't know what to do with Giotto any more. The more he tried to talk to the blonde, the more the other pushed him away. He figured the least he could do was to be understanding and just help out however he could. Thus, why he had agreed to train with Giotto despite the blonde's descend to utter confusion—the complete opposite of calm.

So when the man who looked like his mist guardian appeared, he couldn't help but think that maybe he too, was falling into insanity. He stood behind Giotto, listening as the man revealed his identity. He didn't know what would push someone to go to such extremes. The brunet frowned deeper realizing something that he had missed. If Daemon's consciousness had been pulled to this world through Rokudo Mukuro, and Mukuro was still in the Vendicare Prison, then whose body was he using? Was it Chrome's? Was it Rokudo Mukuro, and he somehow found a way to escape? If that was the case, what then once he leaves the guardian's body? Who was going to suffer the consequences of his escape? All for a selfish desire… Tsuna wasn't going to let this man get away with this.

Endangering his other guardians, was one thing, but at the same time attempting to kill Giotto, too? He wasn't going to let that happen. The brunet slipped on his gloves, popping the Dying Will Pill into his mouth. Stepping to the side of the arm that kept him in place, his fire-like irises stared at the man before him. He entered his Hyper State in a pinch, closing his hand in front of him as he said in an intimidatingly smooth voice, "I am not going to let you do that."

A hand on his shoulder stopped him from going any further though. He turned to see Giotto, face straight and determined. He had never seen him like this before. The brunet was almost sure that the other had more chance to activate the Hyper Dying Will Mode now, than ever before. This was what they were training for, that peaceful mind clear of doubts and distractions was what he needed to fight at his best. Therefore, despite knowing that he had a bigger chance of winning the fight against Daemon, he took a step back as the blonde conveyed his resolve, "Tsunayoshi, don't. He's mine."

They held each other's glance for a while longer, and Tsuna couldn't remember ever seeing anyone with a resolve strong enough that it resonated through their eyes. Giotto placed his gloves on, and charged gracefully towards Daemon who met him half way. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed around, causing the woodland creatures to panic, as the trident hit the back of the blonde's gloves. Giotto quickly pushed on the rod weapon to the side, creating an opening. Despite being open one minute, the very next, the bluenet was able to catch the punch that Giotto had quickly thrown his way. Now Tsuna could see why Giotto had been badly beaten the first time he came here despite having good instincts for battle. Daemon used his other hand to plunge the trident towards Giotto, who then back stepped out of the way before it even hit. The bluenet grinned as he almost complimented, "Oh? You improved… have you been training?"

Without waiting for a reply on his rhetorical question, Daemon did a familiar gesture of tapping the dull end of his weapon on the ground. Suddenly, the blonde became surrounded with a dozen mirror copies of the illusionist. Tsuna could sense the blonde slipping a bit, gritting his teeth at the deception in front of him. Before he could warn the other, knowing that stepping in was not an option, Daemon began his assault. He alternated in a random order between an illusion and himself, attacking at all angles. Giotto wasn't able to distinguish between what was real and what wasn't, which made him an easy target for the attack, one particularly hard blow sent him flying towards the brunet. Daemon proclaimed with a smirk, "Not good enough."

Quickly, Tsuna came to the blonde's side helping him to stand on his feet. Surprisingly, Giotto didn't protest at the gesture. He nodded in thanks to the brunet as he stood on his own. Their attention was suddenly drawn to Daemon when the bluenet suddenly asked, "So tell me, have you been accepted to this famiglia, then?"

Tsuna didn't like the way that question sounded. The only other time he ever heard that word 'famiglia' was when Reborn talked about families relating to the mafia. What did this man know about the Vongola? Tsuna's intuition was telling him to stop this man from speaking. He knew he should have followed it. He knew he should have stopped him. Because when Daemon continued, even in his Hyper Mode, he felt like he was going to throw up. "For what job, pray tell? Are you one of the lapdogs for this man? A guardian perhaps? Is he training you to be an assassin? What role do you have in his family?"

"Famiglia…? What are you talking about?" Giotto asked. He didn't want the blonde to know. He had kept the secret of him being a candidate of being a mafia don a secret because there was no reason to involve him into that messy aspect of his life. Giotto didn't have to know. He didn't have to be a part of this. Tsuna was at a lost for words. What could Daemon possibly gain from this? It was unrelated to the time traveler… unless…

"Oyah? You've been hanging around them for so long, I thought you'd know. What a shame." With that, Tsuna heard Giotto swallow thickly as the blonde turned to look at him. He met the other's confused glance with his unyielding ones.

"Giotto—" Tsuna started, but never finished. The man who looked like Rokudo Mukuro hushed him with fake sincerity.

"Shh, Decimo, allow me." That was the giveaway. That was how Tsuna confirmed that this man really knew what the Vongola was. Calling him 'Decimo' also told him that he understand Tsuna's involvement with the mafia famiglia. It still didn't make sense how saying this information would help him in his quest to destroy Giotto. What was the benefit of all this? "Tell me, why do you think such an ordinary middle-schooler like Tsuna could fight? How come he calls his friends, who are also able-bodied for combat, a family? Why does he look like you? Why could he use the same powers as you can? Do you think it's pure coincidence that you're here, _Vongola_?"

Asking those questions, things were starting to make sense to Tsuna. It was a little bit far-fetched, but he was beginning to get it now. This was the reason why Reborn had been hell-bent in helping Giotto to go home. This was why despite being just a random time traveller from the past; he was well taken care of by Dino and Reborn. He wasn't just any random time traveller that just so happens to look like him. They were related, and Tsuna was beginning to think that it might be more than just by blood.

The brunet activated his X-Gloves, closing in on the bluenet for an attack. Daemon seemed amused, as he used the trident skillfully to block even his hyper-speed attacks. He muttered, "Gokudera Hayato, storm guardian, the restless right hand man."

Tsuna needed him to stop talking. Using his speed, he transported behind his enemy, but as he stroked a blow, the image of Daemon rippled… it was nothing but a very powerful illusion it would seem. The voice though, didn't fade as he continued, "Yamamoto Takeshi, rain guardian, the calm that washes all. Sasagawa Ryohei, sun guardian, the light that sacrifices his body for the family. "

"Hibari Kyoya, cloud guardian, the one that defends from an individual standpoint." Daemon was standing a few feet from Vongola Decimo, a smirk on his lips. Tsuna propelled himself quickly to the man yet again. This time, he was able to move fast enough that he managed to knock the trident from his hands. The bluenet leaped back, keeping his distance from the range where Tsuna could fight. He kept on speaking, however, "Lambo, lightning guardian, might be a bit young, but he is the lightning rod."

"Rokudo Mukuro, mist guardian, the shroud that hides the family, though in this case, he wasn't even needed." This was starting to feel like an ever-repetitive concept. Tsuna charged in once more, determined to once and for all shut him up before he could say anything else. This time, the bluenet was able to match him fist to fist, however, it didn't matter if his skills in combat increased, because Tsuna was still able to read his muscle movements before they were even made. This was his advantage as he sent the illusionist flying with a square punch in the gut. Daemon halted into a stop, standing back up but evidently in pain. Before the brunet could launch another attack though, what Daemon had said glued him to his spot. "Then there's the sky that ties them all together is Sawada Tsunayoshi, tenth generation boss of the Vongola Famiglia, strongest of the mafia families for almost four hundred years. They are a vigilante family who was sworn to a noble cause of defending the weak, and protecting the family."

Tsuna looked over at Giotto, who stared wide eyed on the ground, realization dawning. He didn't want the other to learn about his secret this way, too. It must be hard to even just accept that he had been living all this time with a bunch of mafioso. He didn't want the blonde to get involve because he didn't want to cause more mental strain to the other while he was on this time. This really was none of Giotto's concern, and he shouldn't allow this to get to his head. He had to focus if he really wanted to learn the Hyper Dying Will Mode, Deamon was just messing with his head. He stood straight, looking over at the blonde as he comforted him with, "Don't listen to him, Giotto. This has nothing to do with you. Don't let him get to you."

"On the contrary, this has everything to do with him, young Vongola." Daemon's eyes twinkled with victory, and Tsuna felt even more nauseous. "I think he knows."

Tsuna wasn't too sure himself what was happening. He had bits and pieces that he just needed to pull together to get the bigger picture, but he understood it. Giotto wasn't just some random ancestor to him. He was the one, the distant parent of his that started the Vongola itself. That would explain the 'I' embedded into his similar gloves. This would also the very reason why Giotto was able to stir his Deathperation Flames by will, and why Reborn had sent him of to train the Hyper Dying Will Mode. That was also the reason why he had to send back to his time. By the sound of it, the blonde didn't know that until Daemon went and run his mouth. Learning that he had started a Mafia family and had Tsuna somewhere down the line, must have placed the blonde in utter shock. It was too much to process and this vulnerable state with his destroyed psyche was exactly what Daemon had been playing his cards for. Now that Giotto fighting was out of the question, he knew that he had no other choice but to finish this battle.

"Tsuna." His tutor appeared to his side suddenly, observing the bluenet and the shell-shocked blonde not too far from them. "You have to stop him. If Daemon succeeds, you wouldn't..."

"I know." Tsuna didn't need him to continue. He would have fought anyways despite not knowing who Giotto really was. He was after all, Vongola Decimo, and it was his duty to protect his family.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **And at long last, the moment we've all been waiting for! Or is it? Thanks for being here, dear reader! Without further ado, I present you with the next instalment to this story! Happy reading! Not much to say, hockey is back on. (Haha, yes.)

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Chapter Fourteen: Hyper Dying Will Mode

Giotto stood shaking, his thoughts about to make him explode. The things that Daemon said bounced back and forth in his mind, completely taking over. Whatever calm and resolution he had before was completely gone now. Tsuna was no ordinary teen, he knew as much. He had this conversation with the brunet before. The reason he fought was because it was his responsibility to protect his family, but Giotto really didn't understand what that truly meant. Neither had he thought about why he was here… of all times and of all places, why was he sent here to Tsuna? There were so many things he didn't know. When he assumed Tsuna and the people around him were living by blissful ignorance, he had been wrong. It was him who didn't know anything. Things were about to get even more ugly.

He was too frozen to notice that Tsuna was fighting Daemon now because all he could hear was that cruel voice unraveling things for him. For some strange reason, the moment the bluenet had began to talk about the guardians, thought he had no idea what it had to do with him, he knew. He knew that these guardians were the people that watched over Tsuna. He knew that they were the others who had to fight because they had to. Giotto's heart probably stopped when Daemon spoke about Tsuna. All he had to say was the word 'vigilante' and it all clicked to him.

"I did this…?" His voice came out as barely a whisper, ragged and forced. Sawada Tsunayoshi was the tenth generation boss for the Vongola Famiglia. There had been eight before him. Eight people who were forced to take up arms and fight no matter if they were given a choice or not. This pure innocent bright light, who hated hurting people, was the leader for a mafia familgia with god-knows-what tainted history behind them. He wasn't leader by choice, but because it became his responsibility by blood to fight. The vigilante group that he started, his dream, was the selfish reason why someone as perfect as Tsuna would have blood on his hands. He didn't think that it would even become such a big deal that this would become his legacy. He didn't want it. If his legacy was the reason why Tsuna was forced to look at the ugly side of life… if his will was the one hurting Tsuna and threatening those he held so dear…

"Giotto." Reborn's voice called to him, trying to pull him back to reality. He didn't know when the infant got here or where he came from, but should that really matter? After all this? A few days ago, he wouldn't have cared about what it was that Tsuna and his friends were involved with, but he had seen what they were like. He had observed what it meant to be around Tsuna and their lives with the apparently fragile peace. He cared for the brunet. An astoundingly strong connection had been formed between the two of them. He finally managed to pull himself enough together to look up. His face was washed over with guilt, regret, and sadness. There was no more shock, no more surprise beneath his blue irises.

"Yes, you finally get it. The vigilante group that you start with G four hundred years ago is the Vongola." Daemon blabbed on needlessly. He had pretty much figured that one out. "You are Primo Vongola Giotto, the strongest and most influential don of the family to this time."

"Enough." Tsuna commanded, still in his Hyper State.

"I…" Giotto started but he couldn't find his voice. He stood lamely, watching as Tsuna used his X-gloves to move forward, Daemon smiling. This was his battle, and he was letting Tsuna fight it for him. As Tsuna reached the illusionist, the air around the bluenet changed and he was able to use the trident to block the constant attacks that the brunet was throwing. The smile faltered a little, as Daemon moved back, looking at Tsuna. He exposed his hands, showing a ring sitting menacingly on one of them. The brunet's expression turned grim, he could sense Tsuna's anger from where he was.

"How did… what have you done to Chrome?!" Tsuna charged in again, but flames flickered on the ring… not just any flames, but Dying Will Flames. The next moment, Daemon's illusions of himself surrounded Tsuna who halted. This was odd… even if they were strong illusions, Tsuna should still be able to sense which one was real, right?

"Let me show you, young Vongola, the power of the Vongola Ring." One at a time, the clones jumped on Tsuna. The brunet didn't move, which Giotto assumed was because the clones were just illusions, but something went wrong. Instead of just fading or rippling, each clones was able to attack the brunet. As Tsuna was volleyed around, completely taken surprised of the attack, Daemon was chanting, "Illusions… or real illusions. Within the illusions hide real illusion… from the real illusion, the illusions are created. Within the truth hides the lie… within the lie hides the truth. That is the Mist."

"Giotto. You are Tsuna's ancestral grandfather. You started the Vongola. You might be one of the reasons why he has to fight, but right now that doesn't matter. It's your job to protect your family." Reborn snapped him from what he was watching. He had looked away from the fight, to meet those beady eyes. There was something the way the infant was looking at him. He understood it. His mind cleared of its doubts and worries when the small man repeated his question from this morning, "Who are you fighting for?"

Before he could answer the sound of something hitting the ground resounded in his ears. Giotto turned and saw the brunet on the ground. The X-Gloves reverted into white mittens. He ran towards him, lifting up the brunet's head to his arms. He gently shook him awake, whispering, "Tsunayoshi,"

"Now you see why I'm doing this? If you die before the Vongola is created, this would never happen. Tsuna wouldn't be fighting for things he doesn't even understand. He doesn't have to get hurt. He, along with countless other's lives will be spared the pain and suffering this accursed famiglia had brought them." Daemon's voice said. Giotto didn't spare the other time traveler a glance, putting his head down as he listened to Tsuna's labored breathing. He remembered what Reborn had asked him.

In the short time that he had known the brunet, he had learned to accept him. It used to be hard for Giotto to allow people to come really close to his heart because he feared their involvement in his life. It turned out that Tsuna was the same when it came to dragging people in his mess. He hid the Vongola a secret from Giotto because he cared enough to lie. If there was one thing that was obvious it was that Tsuna was his bright light. It might be a long shot, but every time he was around the brunet, he could forget that he didn't belong to this time. Watching Tsuna go about his life made the blonde see just how different the smaller man saw life through his eyes. He looked at life as if there was nothing wrong, but not such to say that ignorance was bliss. Tsuna understood how the world worked and had his own way to go about things. On top of his unique approach to life was his kindness. Tsuna had a pure heart that readily opened up his home for Giotto.

For once in his life, the time traveller felt like he belonged… that he had a home. It didn't matter that they were a bunch of misfits under one roof. They all had a sense of togetherness because Tsuna pulled them together. He was the sky… the strong bright figure that encompasses all. It was all thanks to this perfect young man in his arms who had done everything to go and beyond helping him.

Daemon stood where he was, watching the heartwarming scene before him where Giotto held the boy in his arms. Maybe he shouldn't have been so hard on the young Vongola, after all, he was still just a kid. By the look of it, too, he was nowhere near how Giotto had fought back in his time. Decimo was certainly better than the young Giotto had been in combat. He leaned against his trident, letting his eyes wander. He was proud to say that he broke this man—the man that took everything from him. The least he could do was let him mourn the lost of the boy that he seemed to have a particularly strong connection to. He was a bit surprised when he heard that same calm voice that made him think that the Giotto from his time travelled all the way here just to say,

"If I die… then the Vongola wouldn't exist." Daemon who was on the verge of a mental breakdown, calmed his nerves when he saw that it was only the brat he was about to kill. Giotto was still holding Tsuna, eyes downcast. The aura around the blonde was changing. He had seen this scene before, and he didn't like where it was going. For some strange reason though, he couldn't move. The illusionist stood, watching the other. The blonde gently placed the young Vongola down, standing up. The I-Gloves that he had on glowed and flickered with a strong flare of orange flames. Giotto was still looking down, eyes fixed on Tsuna, but Daemon knew. That calm voice… the flame… the power. The blonde continued to speak clearly, "If I die… then Tsunayoshi won't exist. He wouldn't have his wonderful family, and his life."

Giotto looked up, eyes orange like fire. A tongue of flame burned brightly on his forehead as he said, "I will not let you interfere."

"Oh?" Daemon chanted in a singsong voice. He was appearing nonchalant but he was playing with fire. He knew that it was a big gamble to go against Giotto in his Hyper Dying Will Mode. Even as a kid, this brat on that state managed to defeat the bluenet. He honestly didn't think Giotto could go on it after all the things he had said to deter his spirit. What a pain. He would do well not to underestimate him like before. He had to treat this fight as if he was facing the real Giotto of his time.

"I will protect him and his—no, _our_ family." Giotto disappeared from where he was standing. Deamon was only able to catch a glimpse of the yellow flash behind him before he took a particularly hard hit that sent him flying. As he attempted to set his foot for landing, Primo appeared in his line of vision again. Giotto grabbed him by the collar, driving him down into the ground with the added force of his I-Gloves. After feeling a mind-numbing pain, he could barely hear Giotto with his ringing ears, let alone comprehend what he said. This body was weak.

Daemon chuckled from where he was, rising to his feet. He used the trident as support. He couldn't believe one attack could take so much out of him. He had to find another tactic to get to Giotto. Confronting him like this wasn't going to work. He just might die in this poor boy's body. He muttered as he shook his head, "Fool, you know nothing about family. You know nothing now, you know nothing then."

Undeterred, the blonde looked him straight in the eye and said the same way Vongola would in his time, "This ends now, Daemon Spade."

"As tempting as that might be, Vongola, I'll have to pass." Giotto's eyes narrowed when he said this, and the blonde ignited his gloves. Daemon's mist was faster. The indigo mist surrounded him, and his surroundings. The thick fog was enough for the blonde to stop, luckily for him. The voice of his body echoed as he disappeared, "Not yet, but soon. We will have our fight."

When the fog cleared, Giotto stood watching where the other had been. He could no longer sense his presence. Reborn appeared beside him, looking at the empty space as well. The blonde looked at his ignited gloves, in slight awe… even in his hyper state. He finally did it… and to find his inner peace in the middle of chaos—how unforeseen. What he wouldn't give now to show Tsuna the fruits of their labor. Before he could do more though, the small man beside him spoke, "Dino's men are waiting back at the Cavallone's."

"Ah." Giotto agreed, looking towards where Tsuna was. Of course he hadn't forgotten about the brunet. Giotto was a little ashamed to admit though that he got a bit caught up admiring himself. He scooped up the brunet into his arms slowly. Like this, the smaller man looked like he was just sleeping. Giotto pressed his lips against the brunet's forehead as he whispered quietly, "I get it now, Tsunayoshi. Thank you."


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Dearly beloved readers, this is WAY over due, but school is really getting hectic and I still have a few midterms to get through, so bear with me! I shall all reply to PM's and Reviews when I have more time, so I'm getting there. I just think you guys at least deserve this update. Again, I'm sorry!(Heck, I'm even repeating myself in my AN, that's how bad it is.)

Anyways. If you're still here, thank you! I know it's been a while, but I shall try my very best for all of you!

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Chapter Fifteen: Aftermath

Giotto pressed the back of his head against the wall, letting out a sigh. Reborn had been correct about the Cavallone family waiting for their arrival. When he got to the base, Tsuna was immediately taken from him as he was treated in another area of the building. Once he was given a clear, he had sat on the floor across from the room where Tsuna was getting the medical attention that he needed. He was physically and mentally drained from that unexpected encounter with Daemon. He didn't think he was going to meet him so soon, but because of that, he was now able to go to the Hyper Dying Will Mode by will—take his word for it, he tried. He was still amazed of how simple it was once he had learned to focus solely on one thing… his bright light, Tsuna. There were still many things he needed to sort out, but he needed to do things one-step at a time.

Heavy footsteps made him move from where he had been still for about an hour. Lazily, Giotto stood up to meet the source of the noise. He couldn't say he was too surprise that the first people he would encounter here were Tsuna's so-called family themselves. The blonde was sure they all had their reasons of why they were with the mafia, but they were Tsuna's friends. Their push to protect their boss was the same drive that the brunet lived by. Gokudera was so furious that Giotto could feel his murderous aura a few feet away. As he had thought, the silver-haired man grabbed a fistful of his collar and spat with venom dripping from the corners of his mouth, "Bastard! What have you done to the tenth?! I'm going to kill you!"

"Gokudera," Yamamoto called worriedly, but surprisingly not doing anything to stop the other's fury. Giotto sensed that the tall raven was too worried about Tsuna to think of anything else. Guilt washed over him, making his gut churn uncomfortably. It didn't dodge him that it should have been in the room right now and not Tsuna. After all, it had been his fight. However, he also knew that his inexperience in these kinds of battles had up him at a disadvantage. Daemon was the first foe he had faced that used words first before his fists. Sending him off to this time and learning about the consequences of his actions in the past in such a way left him rattled. Even now he wasn't sure what to do or think about this whole situation. All he knew for certain then was that he wasn't going to let anything like this happen to Tsuna again. He will win the battle with Deamon to protect Tsuna and his family.

"I deserve your anger for not being able to protect Tsunayoshi, but I am not your enemy, Gokudera." Giotto soothed. The silver haired man was taken aback at his words and the way he had said them. It certainly had been different from how he spoke in front if them the past few weeks. In fact, he was surprised himself. He though that maybe he was still on his Hyper State…? "We are all in the same family after all."

"Wait… what?" Gokudera stuttered, literally taking a step back.

"Yamamoto, Gokudera… let me introduce you formally to Primo Vongola Giotto." Another voice said. Reborn leaped to the edge of the window, looking between him and the other two. He was too busy looking at Reborn to see the look of utter shock and horror in Gokudera's face. "Let's head to the lounge, I'll explain everything."

The doctors, or whatever they were, finally allowed Giotto to enter Tsuna's room. He had stayed behind, letting Reborn take care of telling the other two about the truth. It was partly because he didn't want to leave Tsuna and because he didn't want to hear what the infant had to say. His light being the tenth generation boss of the mafia family he started… he still couldn't get over it. The blonde entered the room quietly, pulling up a chair to sit beside the bed where the other was sleeping. He reached for Tsuna's hand, taking it to his own.

"What are you going to do now?" Reborn's voice asked. The little man made his way to where the blonde was, sitting on the bed.

"I understand it now… my resolve. It isn't about going home, though it is part of it." Giotto spoke his thoughts because there was something about Reborn that made him feel he could. He hadn't felt at ease with anyone aside from G and Tsuna. "I want to protect Tsunayoshi… and I know that would eventually mean that I have to go back to my time, but that's what I have to do. I fight for him, and our family."

"You have to find a way to defeat Daemon without killing him." The little man was hiding half his face under his fedora.

"I know… I don't want to kill anyone. I don't want to hurt that body either since he seem important to Tsunayoshi." Giotto looked up at the said brunet's face. He looked so peaceful. He did deserve such a rest after all he'd been through today.

"What are you going to do?"

At that moment, Giotto's face became solemn, deep in thought. Trying to figure out a way to force Daemon out of that girl's body was the challenge since using too much of it would hurt the other. Not only that, he would need to find a way to control his fire during the Hyper State. In the short time that he was on it, he felt like he had been in constant strain for a month when he returned to normal. He knew he couldn't just constantly put out a hundred percent of his energy each movement in that mode. His blue eyes found Tsuna once more. An idea of how to defeat Daemon crossed his mind then, with a small smile on his lips. He couldn't count on the brunet to train him any more seeing his tutor's current condition. The blonde turned to Reborn and replied, "I'm going to start begging you to be my tutor, for the time being."

* * *

Something told him to wake up, but he was, oh so tired. He felt like his body was lead, but he was surrounded with white fluffy cotton. To add to that, there was a warmth surrounding him and keeping him in place. Tsuna felt so relaxed—for the first time since he met Reborn, it seemed safe. It was as if nothing could harm him, and that everything was going to be all right. It was getting increasingly hard to even open his eyes given how comfortable he was. But he knew he couldn't stay like this forever… Reborn was going to kill him. At the thought, the brunet had forced his eyelids to move, creating for him a small window to see his surrounding. He was currently in a bed, but not the one in his room. His body was turned to the side so he could see a small metal nightstand, and a large window with the curtains blocking the view. It was dark, so it must have been night. Where was he anyways?

The vague color scheme on the wall looked awfully familiar… it was the same when Lambo was in confinement after the battle with Levi. He realized then that he was in the very same clinic as before. Why was he…

The answer came crashing back down to him. Daemon attacked them and he was knocked out because of the illusions that were made from the… Vongola ring? The illusions could hurt him, and then—his thoughts were running amuck. Tsuna tried to sit up, finding it hard to breathe. As he did though, he realized something was holding him. He was almost afraid to look down, but once he had, what he saw made him confused. A lazily draped arm decorated his hip in a non-threatening way. Slowly turning his head, he saw that the arm was connected to a sleeping Giotto. Tsuna could feel his cheeks burn realizing how flushed his body was against the blonde's.

"Gi… Giotto…!" He called out in a hush whisper. Trying to fight the heat the rose to his face. Tsuna attempted to push the arm away, but that only made the sleeping teen pull him even closer… if that was possible. Putting their current compromising position aside, the brunet was just glad that they both made it out alive. He had no doubt that Giotto was able to go on his Hyper Dying Will Mode, finally finding his resolve. The question remains on why he was still here and not back to his time if he had defeated Daemon. A frown crossed his features as he turned his body, now looking at the other. Tsuna pressed his hand gently against the side of the other's face. Somehow, Giotto felt different.

A yawn escaped his lips, and he drew his hand back to himself. Tsuna unconsciously nuzzled his face closer to the blonde's chest, basking in his warmth. His last thought before sleep claimed him again was that he wouldn't mind staying like this forever. Giotto made a comfortable pillow.

The next morning, he woke up still under the almost-suffocating embrace of Giotto. This time though, as he looked up at the other teen's face, his ocean eyes were quietly observing him. He saw a faint trace of relief in the blonde's features before an ever-manly spray of red crossed his cheeks. Giotto's eyes widened, pulling away from him. Unfortunately, he hadn't realized how small the bed actually was and he fell back in the process of pulling away, making a distinct thump on the floor. Tsuna panicked a little, moving to check over at the blonde, "Giotto! Are you okay?"

"I…" Giotto sat up, clearing his throat. Tsuna smiled seeing the blush still evident in the other's features. It wasn't normal to see him all flustered about things. The time traveler got to his feet then, "I'm o-okay. But more importantly, you're finally awake! How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine… but what happened to Daemon? Did you…?" Tsuna didn't mean to just change the topic, but there were more important things to talk about right now aside from how he was doing. Giotto had an unreadable expression on his face, but it softened once he met Tsuna's concerned gaze.

"He escaped… but I did it, Tsunayoshi! I was able to go to the Hyper State!" The look of joy in those blue eyes was something to behold. All the time he had known Giotto he had pushed extra hard to erase that trace sadness in his eyes, and he had finally done it.

"I never doubted you for a second." The brunet let out a beaming smile, enough to kill, though he might not know it. He was happy that they made it out okay from that ordeal, and that it wasn't all bad where it concerned. Though it seemed like everything was back to normal, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was different with Giotto. Once more the blonde's expression softened, and a gentle smile crossed his lips.

"It was all because of you, Tsunayoshi." The brunet would have formed some sort of a response, but he was shut up when the time traveller leaned so that they were leveled. Giotto gently lifted his chin with his hand, looking into his eyes. Tsuna could feel his heart trying to beat right out of his chest. He didn't know why Giotto was looking at him like that, but he certainly knew where his actions were heading. Tsuna thought that he might faint, even more when the blonde's breath caressed his face when Giotto murmured, "Let's do it properly this time…"

Tsuna was frozen as he held Giotto's eyes. The blonde leaned in closer, closing what little distance was between them. He knew that Giotto was talking about the kiss… he wanted to kiss him? Tsuna couldn't think of a reason why for, but he also couldn't make an excuse for why not. It wasn't like he hadn't thought of that time again…then he—

"Tenth! I came as soon as I heard! You're finally awake!" The door slid open and in came Gokudera's voice. Giotto and Tsuna both jumped away from each other, face red in embarrassment. The silver haired man seemed completely oblivious to the mood he had ruined and what he almost walked in on. "Oh? First? Shouldn't you be with Reborn-san?"

"I was about to leave." Giotto said robotically, trying to cover the coloring on his cheeks. He gave them both a quick nod before retreating out the door. Tsuna had noticed the civilized way those two treated each other now. It must have meant that Gokudera knew about Giotto and his connection with the Vongola, which would also be the reason, why he called him 'First'. Being reminded of just whom Giotto really was made Tsuna stop to think.

Giotto was _the_ founder of the Vongola, the man whose shadow he apparently followed. He had been living under the same roof, as the young man who would one day would be the greatest boss who ever lived in the history of the mafia. He was about to kiss that very same man who was said to be the strongest—the Primo Vongola. Giotto was the same don who was said to have left Vongola and moved to Japan, therefore making that connection. Realizing what that meant made Tsuna blush even more… he was about to kiss his own ancestor.

"Are you okay, Tenth? You look a little red." Gokudera asked with nothing but concerned. Tsuna just turned even more colorful at the attention and he forced an awkward laugh.

"I'm fine! Ha-ha, it's nothing! Just a little hot! Ha-ha-ha!"

If wanting to kiss his own flesh and blood wasn't a crime punishable by the Vendice, he didn't know what was.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! I still have one more obstacle to hurdle on, but it's been a better couple of weeks. I know I teased you guys the last chapter, but there is a reason for that! There's always a reason~ As always, thanks for being here and helping me to keep going. Happy Reading! Oh and expect an update around Valentine's Day just because I wanted to write a fic, and I have no time, so I figured an update would do. Now, without further ado!

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Chapter Sixteen: Date

Giotto had learned that Tsuna's Mist Guardian, Rokudo Mukuro was still in the Vendicare Prison where he should be. He didn't question why in the world such a person in jail would even be associated with Tsuna, though he was a bit concerned. Now it made sense why someone like his bright light would have connections with someone like Dino Cavallone, who apparently was a mafia boss of his own right. That meant that the body that Daemon was using was of a girl named Chrome, who stood in the place of Mukuro, being able to take on his aura, allowing the said guardian to manifest. Daemon had done the same thing, using Mukuro's connection with Chrome to claim her body. This would worry Tsuna the most because of the apparently bad condition in which the girl's body was on.

That further complicated things now knowing that they couldn't even hurt a hair on that girl. It would be wrong. That however, Giotto had almost foreseen. He was after all, training his fire off with Reborn, who turned out to be such a harsh teacher. Harsh his methods maybe, but they were certainly effective. By the end of this training, he was confident that he would have the ace up his sleeve in dealing with Daemon once and for all.

He trained when Tsuna was in school. Even though the brunet had insisted that he could still help, Giotto wouldn't hear it. Tsuna had already done enough for him already. He was going to get stronger, and he would understand this power better to protect the smaller man. It was not only his duty, but also his full-pledged resolve. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt his light ever again… so long as he existed. When people had said that one wouldn't know the real value in a person until they were taken from you, they had been right. If it weren't for that ordeal with Daemon, he wouldn't have realized the extent of his feelings for the brunet. Therefore, hard as it may to admit it, that illusionist appearing actually did more good than bad—almost.

It had been a few days since Daemon showed himself, and things had pretty much fallen back to their old ways. Well, almost everything. Giotto had been training non-stop with Reborn every day. He and Tsuna arrived home roughly at the same time. In which case, Giotto would spend whatever time he had remaining resting and just being around Tsuna. Not much had changed… perhaps aside from the way Gokudera acted towards him. The silver-haired man was kinder, more polite around him, making it increasingly hard for him to mock the young man. The more he spent time with them, the greater his appreciation and respect grew. If this was his legacy, then he was still regretful that they had to continue what he had started, but at the same time, he was proud that these people carried the name Vongola. To Giotto, he didn't know how he could ever live up to the expectations set out by the tenth generation—which was strange now that he had thought about it.

The end of the week came rolling by, and instead of training, Reborn had told him to get his much-deserved rest. He was all for staying in bed the whole day, but Tsuna had other plans. Therefore Giotto found himself walking towards what the brunet had called an 'amusement park' in the sweater Nana picked out for him. Giotto asked as they continued on their way in relative silence, "Are the others there already?"

"Others? Oh you thought… uhm…" Tsuna trailed off, seemingly trying to avoid his eyes. "Actually, Giotto, this was an off the whim, so it's going to be just the two of us."

A smile spread across the blonde's features as he muttered confidently, "It's a date then?"

"D-d-date?! EH?! Where did you even get that?!" Tsuna flushed red as a beet, turning around to face Giotto who had an amused smile on his lips. The blonde continued walking the direction they were going though, still playfully teasing.

"Isn't that what two people do when they like each other? They go on dates? Bianchi told me. Back in my time, I'd have to ask permission from your parents to be your suitor, and this whole process begins. I think dating is actually a better idea." The more he spoke, the greater the shade of red Tsuna acquired. He was having fun already—how is this young man who was capable of so many incredible acts so innocent when it came to these things? Giotto stopped walking now to face the brunet. He pouted as he continued, "What's wrong, Tsunayoshi… you do like me, right? Because I like you."

"Giotto! D-don't say such things!" Tsuna said firmly, trying to glare, but failing miserably. The blush on his cheeks just made him look adorable instead of intimidating, making the blonde chuckle. "We're just going to the amusement park together… it isn't a date! O-okay?"

Once more the blonde laughed, watching as Tsuna walked on ahead stiffly. Still with a smile paying on his lips, he followed the other. He was too absorb with the perfectness of his light that once more, he had lost track of where they were. His clue that they were some place different was the sudden increase of people around them. Looking up, Giotto saw the most amazing things he had ever seen in his life. There were many mechanical looking infrastructure littering the 'amusement park', each with its different mobile vehicles behaving differently depending on the structure.

His eyes were wide, taking it all in as Tsuna and him were ushered in. It was even more impressive on the other side of the mechanical gates. There was ladder-like structure that snaked all around the park, twisting and looping into dangerously crazy turns Travelling along it was insanely fast carts attached to each other, ploughing through the tracks like it was nothing, with people on them screaming in what he could only detect as fun. Was this how residents in this generation found their joy? There was also a high tower where there were seats zipping up and down, teasing gravity. Not to mention gigantic spinning tea cups where people sit inside. What caught his attention the most though was the gigantic wheel that spun stationary in its spot. Each of the main spokes on the wheel had a gondola on the outside circle, revolving as the wheel spun. He was impressed.

"So?" Tsuna asked, his smile telling Giotto that he was enjoying the look of awe on the blonde's face. The time traveller couldn't answer just shaking his head. "Which one do you want to go in first?"

By the end of the day, they had gotten on almost every single ride but one. Like the festival, this was also a time when Tsuna kept feeding him the most random things—_cotton candy _on a stick, fried dumplings on a stick, and _popcorn_ the only thing not on a stick. It convinced him that these Japanese people must be obsessed with food and sticks. They even eat with chopsticks.

He had discovered today that Tsuna got nauseous ridding on the spinning teacups when he rapidly spun their ride. Aside from that, the tower ride in which the seats go up and down in an unpredictable manner almost gave the brunet a heart attack. Tsuna had also screamed the living daylight out of himself when they were on what he had called the _roller coaster_. Actually, Tsuna had similar reactions to most of the rides aside from the _carousel _and the _go-kart. _That didn't make sense at all to Giotto since being airborne on his Hyper Dying Will Mode was more dangerous than the controlled environment the amusement park presented. He might never get how the brunet's mind worked.

"Are you alright?" Giotto asked, still rubbing slow circles on the brunet's back. They had just gotten off the roller coaster and the smaller man looked pale in the verge of being green. Either he was about to throw up or pass out, the blonde couldn't tell as he looked on in concern.

"Uh… more or less." Tsuna looked up with a forced smile. He took a few gulps of air, looking better—as he said, more or less. "Do you want to go home now?"

Giotto shook his head 'no', and smiled sadly when Tsuna looked a bit put off that he hadn't agreed to go home yet. However there was no way he was leaving here without riding the one thing that caught his attention ever since they got here this morning. The blonde grabbed on to the other's hand, heading towards the line of the big stationary wheel.

"Last one," Giotto promised with a grin on his face.

"The Ferris wheel?" Tsuna calmed down significantly as he said that questioningly. Probably thankful for the non-dangerous ride he had chosen to end the day with.

"Is that what you call it? It's nice… rather romantic."

"E-eh?! What?! Don't say that out loud!" Tsuna's flustered expression in hope to shut him up wasn't going to work. There was something about seeing a young man as amazing as Tsuna acting the exact opposite that the time traveller found endearing. He chuckled and as they were ushered in the gondola, he grabbed on to the brunet's hand once more.

They sat across from each other. Giotto almost giddy in his seat, especially when they began to spin away from the ground ever so slowly—like a cradle. The silence and the slowness of the ride calmed him down. The breathtaking sight of the quaint Namimori though, was nothing compared too the look on Tsuna's face. The brunet sat back relaxed on his seat, taking in the view just as Giotto had been before the blonde chose to stare at him instead. Tsuna looked perfect, that blissful look on his face, and those twinkling brown eyes… his bright light. There was a pang in his heart as he wished that the other teen would be like this all the time. He wished he could do something to change the fact that this fragile peace that the brunet was living was only temporary. If he could control how things were, he would make it so that Tsuna would never have to face unnecessary hardships or pain.

"Tsunayoshi," Giotto loved the way the brunet's name just roll out of his tongue as natural as breathing. The said young man turned met his eyes, and he thought that he might just forget how to even speak properly looking at that face.

"What's wrong?" He had apparently stared on longer than he thought, when suddenly, Tsuna asked, a slight frown marring his perfect features. A frown didn't fit in well in the brunet's face. It was almost painful to look at. It didn't even bother him that Tsuna could pretty much read him a like an open book asking that question.

"I've been meaning to speak with you… since I hadn't really have the chance to after Daemon." They had that very brief moment when Tsuna just woke up, but it seemed like every time he tried to be alone with the brunet, something had to come up. For some strange reason, Reborn had something to do with it. It was as if he was purposely… no, of course not, Reborn wouldn't deliberately sabotage him and Tsuna… right?

The brunet before him nodded slowly, not saying anything. "Look, this whole Vongola thing… I don't really get it. I mean I think it's still pretty unbelievable that _I_ would start something as big as a mafia family. Frankly, I still think you've got the wrong guy."

Tsuna laughed lightly at that. Giotto, who had looked down at his own hands, allowed himself to look up at those sparkling brown eyes. There was a sad smile on the "I feel the same way most of the time. I don't feel like I could ever fit into that role of a leader… especially knowing how much people are depending on me."

The time traveller could only look at the other. It was like Tsuna stole the words right out of his mouth. _He_ should be the one saying that, but somehow, the irony brought upon him an epiphany. Tsuna couldn't see how perfect he was in being a leader—as much as it was painful to admit that someone like Tsuna fit the role of becoming a mafia boss. Was he the same way? He never felt like he could be a great leader, no matter how hard he tried, but was he like Tsuna who just couldn't see it?

"I'm sorry." Giotto muttered, barely a whisper. The brunet looked at him confusedly, mirroring the pained expression he had. "The Vongola… I know I can't control it, but I want you to know that I never meant for you to go through so much for the sake of it. You are the perfect leader—your heart is pure, and your fire is unrivaled—but I would have never ever want you or those who are important to you to get hurt. If there was another way for you to grow and learn to your highest potential, then that way was what I would have wanted for you. Walk a different path, Tsunayoshi."

The brunet had looked down, avoiding his glance, and Giotto could hear his heart breaking. But he continued nonetheless, now completely unaware of anything else but Tsuna in front of him. "I am not happy that you have to inherit something like this, but I want you to know that I am proud. For you and your family to be the ones to do it… I might not know what the future really hold, but as long as you're in it, Tsunayoshi, then I must have done at least one thing right."

Giotto was completely unprepared when Tsuna leaned forward, grabbing him by the collar. He was expecting a fist to the face, but what he met instead was a pair of soft lips against his own. He let his eyes slip close, relaxing as he tilted his head to find more of Tsuna's warm mouth. His heartbeat just skyrocketed, and his mind had gone blank. He could die happy right there and then. The kiss felt like it lasted forever, but at the same time, not long enough, when Tsuna pulled away. Their faces still close to each other, the brunet mumbled with a blush across his perfect features, "I wouldn't have it any other way."


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Thank you guys for being here, first of all! This update is actually a bit later than I intended to, but the NBA All-Star Saturday distracted me. I'm not even a big fan of the NBA... in any case! This is your update! I hope you enjoy! Happy reading!

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Chapter Seventeen: Beginnings

"Are you still thinking about that Spade-bastard, Tenth?" Gokudera called worriedly at Tsuna who was standing by his locker, looking at his shoes instead of putting them on and getting ready to go home. It had almost been a week since Daemon Spade, the man who had sent Giotto here from the past, last appeared. He was defeated because the man had used the Vongola ring he had to create powerful illusions that was much more than just a trick to the eye. He didn't even think that was possible. To add to his worry, though the bluenet had taken the form of Mukuro, he had the ring. That could only mean that he wasn't using his real Mist Guardian's body, but Chrome's… Tsuna didn't appreciate being in the short end of things. Reborn, Dino, and Giotto wouldn't tell him anything either.

"Don't worry! I, your right hand man, wouldn't let you face him all alone again! I'll be right by your side!" The silver-haired young man assured, not needing the brunet to answer. Tsuna looked at his self-proclaimed right hand man with a smile.

"I'm not worried about that… I was just thinking about the Vongola Rings. Daemon was able to activate the ring like Mammon had to free Xanxus." The brunet explained, placing on his shoes. He looked at the ring around his neck, before looking up at his friend to continue, "I'm starting to think that they are more than just symbols of inheritance…"

He left out the part that bothered him the most. If the Vongola Rings had only been passed down from generations to generations of guardians and leader, then why was Daemon able to light the ring? If Giotto was Vongola Primo, and Daemon came from then as well… wouldn't that mean that the illusionist would have had the ring around the same time? Wouldn't that imply that he was one of the guardians? Why then would he want to kill Giotto? But then again, why was he so worried about this?! It would be okay... perhaps what Giotto had said to him on the Ferris Wheel somewhat got to his head... he flushed remembering that time.

"Tenth, I might not be sure what's going on either, but no matter what happens, you can count on me." Decimo smiled, shaking his thoughts away. He would just ask Reborn about it later. He wanted answers and it wasn't fair that he was acting like this while his Storm Guardian was trying his best to cheer him up. Therefore, he nodded at the silver-haired teen, as they finally started on their way. It was a silent walk, until they reached the school gates. That was when he heard his name being called in that tone that made him feel goosebumps running up and down his spine.

"Tsunayoshi," The two students turned, surprised to see Giotto leaning by the other side of the gate. The said brunet couldn't stop himself from smiling at the blonde, surprised as he might be seeing him here. The time traveller nodded in courtesy to the other, "Gokudera."

"First! Shouldn't you be with Reborn-san?" The young man with silver hair asked, taking the words right out of Tsuna's mouth. The past few days, Giotto had been training non-stop with Reborn, and Tsuna could only imagine how much the blonde had improved.

Giotto nodded in response, before continuing, "I was, but he had some business to take care of with Dino Cavallone, so he told me I was free to go. Where's Yamamoto?"

"He had baseball practice today, so we were going to head home," Tsuna replied that time. The blonde turned his attention to him then, face softening into a smile. Decimo couldn't get over the fact of how much Giotto had changed in the past few days. He had his moments, but most of the time, the air of calmness and experience lingered over him as if he was always in his Hyper State. What Giotto had done next caught him off guard. The blonde hooked an arm around his hip, smirk lingering as he gave the brunet a quick peck on the lips.

When he pulled away, Tsuna flushed red, finding sudden fascination on the ground. Gokudera had a similar expression and color, while Giotto could only smile. The blonde grabbed on the brunet's hand, "Let's go home, then."

It was an awkward walk. Gokudera was lagging behind, as he tried not to look too bothered by it all. Giotto was humming happily to himself, Tsuna on tow. The aforementioned brunet was still flustered, confused about the sudden public display of affection. Since their trip to the amusement park, Giotto had more than once or twice, tried to kiss him or cuddle him to death. Reborn would usually beat the blonde for molesting Tsuna, making it clear that they were related by blood, therefore it was technically incest. That didn't stop Giotto's advances nonetheless. In return, Reborn kept a constant eye on them, even forbidding Giotto to ever sleep in the same bed. The time traveller would sneak into the bed in the middle of the night anyways, and be punished by the sun arcobaleno the moment morning dawns. The two were too busy in their own wars to even bother asking Tsuna about where he stood in this.

As for Tsuna… well, there was no doubt in him that he still felt attraction towards Giotto. Then again looking at the blonde, he didn't get how anyone could resist his charms. The whole world would light up when he smiled. Giotto's touches always felt like he was trying to make ever second count, but gentle nonetheless. Tsuna was happy that he had somewhat rid the blonde of that look of sadness in those beautiful ocean eyes. On top of that, he deeply cared for Giotto not just because the blonde was _family_. He realized that he couldn't get too attached to Giotto because he _was_ his ancestor. There would come a time when the blonde would have to go back to his time. After all if he didn't, how would Tsuna even exist? How would the Vongola? Every time he thought about that, he couldn't help the sickening feeling rising in his gut. Tsuna didn't want Giotto to go. He didn't want the only person in this world who completely understood his situation to disappear.

The brunet squeezed the hand that was pulling him through his thoughts, and earned an encouraging squeeze back. Looking up, Giotto was giving one of those comforting smiles that made the brunet feel like butter in a hot pan. For a moment, he thought that he could forget about his worries. He shouldn't think about losing Giotto just yet… he was still here, after all.

As the three of them reached the Sawada Residence, the silence had turned from awkward to rather comfortable. Tsuna was about to turn and say his goodbyes to his Storm Guardian, when a nauseating wave hit him. His body automatically stiffened as a reaction, his hairs standing in their ends. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, something came flying towards him. He didn't have time to dodge, feeling the air hissing past him. Tsuna's eyes automatically closed, waiting for the pain that never came. As he recovered, he saw that there was a tri-point that was within centimeters of his face, if it weren't for Giotto's lightning reflex, it would have hit. Giotto threw the weapon into the ground, sound of clattering metal echoed. Gokudera quickly lost his surprised look, taking on a murderous look, dynamites in his hands as he turned towards where the painfully familiar weapon came from.

"Tsunayoshi, get everyone out of the house through the back door." Giotto's voice commanded, looking at the blonde now, Tsuna was shocked to see Dying Will Flames on his forehead. His eyes were orange and yellow, like the fire. The brunet didn't know if he should be impressed or envious that Giotto was able to go on the Hyper Dying Will Mode in a blink of an eye. He was ogling in shock at the blonde, to actually do what he had been told to do. Giotto's sharp expression softened and he smiled—the brunet didn't even know that was possible in the Hyper State. Tsuna knew it wasn't the time for it, but he felt his cheeks heating up. Snapping out of it, the brunet did as he was told, nodding and disappearing into the house.

Just as Decimo disappeared, from the end of the street came walking out Daemon Spade, still with Rokudo Mukuro's appearance. Gokudera was, as he thought, the first one to bark, "Mukuro! Bastard, how dare you?!"

"Be careful, Gokudera. That's Daemon Spade using Mukuro's consciousness." Giotto warned, now fully focused on the task at hand. "That means the body still belongs to Chrome."

"Tche." The silver haired young man spat, irritated. "Coward."

"Oh? Always nice to see you, Vongola, I see that you've brought a different reinforcement this time." Daemon sang as he halted a few feet from the other two. The trident in the ground dissolved into black smoke, reappearing in the bluenet's hands within seconds. The young man spun the weapon around, hitting the ground with its dull end challenging. "Let's dance, shall we?"

"Gokudera," The blonde called, to the other young man. Giotto narrowed his eyes, calculating. "I'm going to take him on, come in when you see an opening. Use enough force to knock him down, but not too much to hurt Chrome's body."

"I'm well ahead of you," The mafioso replied, in a mature tone that made Giotto turn around and make sure that he was still just Gokudera and not someone that was replaced by G. With a small smile, he returned his attention to Daemon.

Giotto ignited his I-gloves, propelling himself forward. He brought his right hand out in a punch, still powered with the Deathperation Flames. Just as he expected, the number in the pupil of the red eye shifted. Four was the number. Daemon was able to block his attack, reacting quickly to most of his combative movements. It was subtle but the eyes shifted again, to five this time. Giotto was able to feel a drastic shift in his aura, and as the bluenet came to attack him this time, he could feel a change in his power. His movements were more defined, faster, and with more strength behind them. Giotto maneuvered so that the bluenet was concentrated on him enough to turn his back on Gokudera who was still patiently waiting.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw the silver-haired man starting his bomb and aiming directly at the illusionist. Daemon was too focused on attacking that he had forgotten about the other. Just as Giotto thought that it would hit, there was a wheezing sound that cut the air and the dynamites exploded a few feet short of Daemon. The bluenet stopped his movements, looking back momentarily with a smirk. Giotto observed as another young man with a beanie appeared with a wild-looking one, blocking Gokudera from where the two of them were. By the look of their uniforms, he could guess that they were with Mukuro.

"We won't let you interfere with Mukuro-sama!" The tanned one yelled, taking a fighting position that made him look like a primate out for the kill.

"Moron! That's not Mukuro!" Gokudera argued, looking a little apprehensive to fight these two, taking a step back.

His hyper intuition kicked in then, disabling him from paying attention to what was going on with the silver-haired one. He quickly pushed himself back with his gloves, dodging a rainfall of poisonous snakes from out of nowhere. Giotto turned his attention back to the red eye of his opponent, noting the number three. The bluenet smirked, calling to him, "Vongola, I'm your enemy. If I were you, I'd worry about myself more. How typical of you…"

Giotto was once more snapped from the conversation when he heard explosions. He turned his head to where the Vongola guardian was, blocking as Daemon leaped to him with his trident. His eyes were back to five—the path that made him stronger. Reborn had told him about the different paths and to observe and learn them all. He was paying attention, and he reckoned if he concentrated enough, he would be able to predict this young man's movements soon enough. The blonde managed to call out, "Gokudera!"

Luckily, he didn't have to wait long before the said man replied, "I'm alright, First! Take care of Daemon, I've got these two!"

The time traveller smiled, concentrating back on the bluenet before him. He pushed the illusionist off, quickly moving behind his opponent's back. Giotto drove the side of his hand towards the other's neck, aiming to knock him out, but his hyper intuition moved his body to the right. Sure enough, the tri-point of the trident was exactly where he was not a second ago. Primo aimed his gloves down, thrusting out of the sudden mess he was in. He noticed the number one on Rukudo Mukuro's eyes, and a clone. This was a real illusion, judging the way the ring in Daemon's finger burned with indigo Dying Will Flames.

Giotto was surprised when one of the Daemons was sent flying forward towards him. He sidestepped the body just as it began to ripple into mist with the same color as the illusionist Deathperation Flame. The blonde looked up, and Tsuna, now on his Hyper Dying Will Mode, came to his side, looking coolly at Daemon.

"Let's finish this." Giotto mumbled, fully facing the illusionist.

"Ah." Tsuna agreed, voice as smooth as velvet.

Daemon looked at the two generations of Vongola looking at him with those stupid soft eyes, and grinned from ear to ear. This was exactly what he had been waiting for.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Hey dear, readers! Guess what?! It's time for me to go on about how much I love you guys for the reviews and reading this humble story. It is my baby, so seeing that other people are enjoying it makes me happy. Since I want to make you guys happy, here's an update! The fight continues! Happy reading!

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Chapter Eighteen: Eyes

The rocket bombs, as expected, took the two by surprise. Glasses freak was going to lean backwards, allowing the bombs to miss, while animal freak went to swipe at it on his Wolf Channel. Gokudera smirked as the rockets took their effect, dancing unpredictably out of the way. Some went straight for glasses freak that didn't expect it, sending him to the ground. The ones that animal freak missed with his swipe just coincidentally change its trajectory aiming directly at the sandy blonde's torso. Both were down, and Gokudera looked at them victoriously. Unlike these two, he had been growing and learning how to fight better. He wasn't going to lose again like it happened with Belphagor. He looked over to where the First Vongola was, now joined with his boss.

Just as he was about to join them, the two followers got up slowly from the ground, once more standing on his way. He gritted his teeth, throwing more dynamites their way as he yelled, "Damn it! Stay down already."

The unintentional smoke screen he created gave leeway for glasses freak to attack. He sent out a rain of needles that Gokudera dodged easily enough. Just as he did so, he realized too late that animal freak was behind him. He turned his head to face the inevitable blow like a man. When he heard, "_Shigure Soen Ryu_, _Shajiku no Ame_!"

Animal freak stopped his attack, jumping out and away to join where glasses freak was as the smoke cleared. Yamamoto came to Gokudera's side then, with his sword and that goofy smile on his face as he said, "Sorry I'm late."

"Don't give me that, baseball idiot! We've got to go help the Tenth!" Gokudera chastised as he turned to look at the other two before them. They were so stubborn, beat up and bruised they still stand on their way. What would it take to get it into their thick skulls? He couldn't help the feeling of déjà vu, however, looking at their match up. Back in Kokuyo Land, it was he and Yamamoto against glasses freak and animal freak respectively. How strange.

"I know. Let's go, Gokudera."

"More reinforcements?" Daemon mused, reverting to just one of him. It would seem like Rokudo Mukuro's family had their hands full. He wasn't going to fare well against these two on his own even with the Vongola ring. It would be like facing the real deal, and he wasn't feeling suicidal enough for that. He faced the two Vongola, smiling.

"Who are you?" Young Vongola suddenly asked, his stupid expressions much like the original Vongola's. Looking at their faces irked the hell out of Daemon, but he remained calm.

"Oh? We went through this already, didn't we, young Vongola?" The illusionist stood where he was, lighting the fire in his ring. In an instant, he created a dozen more copies of him, charging towards the two mafioso leaders. Since he only knew how to use two his abilities simultaneously (one being the default to stay in this body), he was stuck with the first path while his clones attacked. It would have been advantageous to have the clones all with the capability to fight as well.

"The Vongola Rings are passed on from the guardians from one generation to the next," Decimo began to speak, not just to him but to his clones as well. He wasn't so easily distracted, it would seem. Giotto was fighting along side of him, flawlessly showing off their skills in their Hyper Dying Will Mode. "If you came from around the same time as Giotto had, then why do you know how to use the Mist Ring?"

As he was asked, Daemon retracted his real illusions, looking amusedly at Decimo. What great insight for a kid—just as he would have expected from someone who had inherited a strong gene of Vongola, after all. He moved his glance towards Vongola, tapping the ground with the other end of his trident. From the ground came roots that latched on to the two leaders, holding them in place before they even knew what hit them. They both tried and failed to free themselves from the hold. But instead of receiving identical glares, he was angered to see both his captives looking at him with those stupid composed eyes. What would it take to break them?

"My name is Daemon Spade, Primo Vongola Familgia's Mist Guardian." He said, enjoying the slight shift in both the blonde's and the brunet's expression as they looked on. "It's people like you two… a bunch of no-good softies that would bring the Vongola down. I've dedicated all my life for the family. Don't you understand that there is no way that we could rule the mafia world with 'trust'? Absolute fear is absolute power. The family should be able to overpower any enemies, to crush those who come in our way. That is my resolve. The family needs strength in order to rule. But see… if I kill you now… I could be the founder of the Vongola. I can shape and model the family into an ideal one! Vongola will rule with an iron fist."

"You're wrong." Giotto firmly stated, stopping his struggling against the real illusions that held him down. "If the strength I acquire will contribute to that cause, then I don't want it. The Vongola's strength isn't for ruling anyone or anything. It is to protect, that's what I want the family to be."

"You speak as if you have control over things." Daemon mocked, meeting those irises akin to fires with his mismatched ones. How long must he endure this crap from this kid? He was starting to sound like the real Vongola from his time, how annoying.

"I will have control over things, and I won't allow things to be that way." The I-Gloves glowed a bright light, that was sky flames igniting his hand. It was a warning sign to the bluenet that he had to be cautious. Giotto had learned about that already?

"You are as stubborn as the real one, do you know that?" Daemon shook his head to himself. He hated this man in his time, and he hated him younger. Speaking to him was as productive as speaking to a wall.

"I do. I _am_ Vongola Primo." The illusionist narrowed his eyes, seeing the vines around the blonde wither. He prepared himself and soon enough, Giotto was in front of him, artfully trying to hit him. With his eyes still in the path for real illusions, he wasn't able to keep up. He didn't need to. He created another real illusion, clone of himself, allowing that to deal with Giotto as he disappeared into mist.

He reappeared behind the still restrained Decimo. Raising his trident into the air, knowing that the brunet could feel it coming because of his hyper intuition made it that much sweeter. Without hesitation, Daemon drove the trident down at the future leader of the Vongola. But as the official pain in his ass, Giotto had to interfere of course. His trident didn't hit flesh, but something hard and metal. Daemon leaped away, seeing that the blonde had placed himself in between, using the back of his precious gloves to stop his attack. The time traveller placed his flamed gloves on the younger Vongola, and the illusionary vines withered away as well.

Daemon 'tsk'ed. Vongola didn't have that technique in his time without the Sky Ring, or it could be that he did, but he had never seen that. He realized that this could be an outcome of him being sent here to the future. Did he really learn that much more? Was that a bad thing? No matter, he would just need to kill him here, right now. It was about time he stopped playing. He held out his knuckles, the indigo fire enveloping the ring previously began to spread. The body's red eye ignited with the same indigo fire, and the looks on his opponents' faces were priceless. They could sense the same spike of energy as he could, coursing through this body. He brought the ring near his eye and once more, and smirked.

The number on his eye shifted, and he used his speed to go in between the two leaders. He created a real illusion separating the two, locking in on Giotto. Once more changing his skills in an incredible speed, he summoned snakes to rain on the blonde. When the blonde made a move to dodge, Daemon was waiting for him. He brought the trident to hit the other, but as expected with the hyper intuition allowed the blonde to catch the weapon in his hand. Trying to pry away the weapon, Daemon reverted back his eyes to the first path. Turning the trident into a vine, the bluenet set the other end into the ground, watching as the blonde tried to tug on his real illusion. Before the other had the chance to light his I-Gloves again, Daemon made another trident appear in his hand.

Just as he was about to hit the other with the final stroke, a bolt of orange light flashed before his eyes, and suddenly there was nothing in front of him. The illusionist smiled, turning his head to see that Decimo flew Vongola away just before he could stab him. The two of them stood a couple of feet from him, still watching him carefully. Daemon had expected the young Vongola to get out of the illusion he set for him a little later, but it didn't matter. Oh, how he loved this body's power. If he was to give the tenth generation family something, it was that they had a mean Mist Guardian. To Daemon though, it didn't matter that Giotto was able to get away. He didn't move his body just yet, returning his glance into the trident in his hands. His mismatched irises fixed on the end of the trident and what he saw there made him grin from ear to ear.

Blood.

"Tsunayoshi, are you alright?" Giotto asked as the two of them regrouped. The brunet nodded a silent agreement. The smile on the bluenet's face as he slowly turned his head couldn't be a good sign. The blonde narrowed his eyes. Even in their Hyper State, they only managed to narrowly escape that assault of the illusionist. He was on a completely different level. But something about this whole situation was bothering him. Why was he so fixated in attacking with the trident when he could make a bigger damage with his real illusions?

He ignited his I-Gloves once more, getting ready to attack when he noticed Tsuna was bleeding. Giotto let out, looking at the wound closer. It must have been from just now when the brunet had saved him from Daemon's weapon. It was a shallow cut, but he could see the distinct three lines that marred the side of Tsuna's torso, like a scratch from an animal. He pointed out, "You're bleeding."

The look on Tsuna's face wasn't good. His eyes widened, looking at his bleeding side. As if to check, he brought his hand towards the small gash, collecting blood. As the brunet looked at his bloodied hand in horror, he comforted, "It's a small wound, you should be—"

"Giotto, knock me down." The order from the brunet came distinct and commandingly. It took the blonde by surprise, and he stared at the smaller man questioningly. "Just do—_no_!"

"Tsunayoshi!" He came to the brunet's side immediately as the other teen dropped to his knees. As he placed a hand comfortingly on the brunet's back, he sensed that something was terribly wrong. A laugh rang in his ears from Daemon, but he ignored it. Why was Tsuna acting so unnaturally by such small wounds? The future don slowly raised his head up, but before he could fully show his face, Giotto's hyper intuition kicked in and he propelled himself away from the brunet. The sensation he was feeling from Tsuna… why did it feel just as how Daemon's aura did? The blonde called to the other worriedly, "Tsunayoshi…?"

As a reply, Tsuna appeared in front of him, a fist to his side. As reflex, despite his confusion, he caught the hand aimed to hurt him. Looking over at Tsuna's face made his heart stop. Giotto used his I-Gloves to move himself as fast and as far away from the brunet as possible. He stared hard at Tsuna, before moving his glare to Daemon. His red eye was showing the number two. He heard from Reborn that Rokudo Mukuro had the power of Six Reincarnations. Daemon seemed to able to use only two at the same time. Giotto knew what they were, but just as Reborn, he wasn't too sure of their order.

The first one he saw was the sixth realm, the default one that permitted him to project himself into Chrome's body.

The fourth realm allowed Daemon to fight in par against Giotto.

The fifth realm increased the illusionist's strength drastically.

The third realm enabled him to summon animals that did his bidding.

The first realm was when he could create the real illusions.

That left the second realm…

Giotto clenched his teeth together, lighting his I-Gloves and zooming towards Daemon to attack. Before he could reach the bluenet, Tsuna came to his view. Decimo smirked at him, and Giotto could feel his heart sinking.

The second path was the Realm of the Hungry Ghost, and even not knowing what was going on, he understood what that Realm did. Tsuna was looking at him, his left eye the same sharp orange ones from the Hyper State—and the other was crimson like the devil's, mocking him with the Japanese numeral two as its pupil.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Guys... welcome to the final countdown. Yes, I said final countdown. I'll save the sappy stuff for later, but for now, I shall say thank you for being here for the nineteenth time, and if you are still here, then you aren't sick of me saying over and over how much I love you all for your support for this story. Damn. I said I wasn't going to be sappy... anyways, this is your update for this week! Happy reading!

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Chapter Nineteen: Primo versus Decimo

Giotto pushed himself off the ground, hovering in air. Tsuna wasn't too long to follow, looking at him with a misleadingly empty expression. He might still be in his Hyper State, but he wasn't in control. Daemon was. The said bluenet was on the ground, looking up with wonder in his eyes still holding the weapon that had Tsuna's blood on the tri-point. The blonde was angry with himself for allowing this to happen again. Once more, he wasn't able to protect his bright light. In hindsight, this was probably what the illusionist was after all this time. Starting the battle, they all knew that no amount of illusion with the powerful ring or not, could have possibly defeated him and Tsuna together. The two of them after all, represent two leaders of the infamous Vongola. He knew about Rokudo Mukuro's ability to possess people. The other time traveller planned to win this battle with Tsuna ending the blonde's life.

Despite looking like he wasn't fazed, both he and Daemon knew that he was at a lost. There was no way he was going to lay a finger on Tsuna, but he couldn't allow himself to die here either. Whether he fought or not would hurt the brunet nonetheless. He couldn't win. An idea sparked in his head when the blue haired illusionist came to his peripheral view. The enemy here wasn't Tsuna it was Daemon. All he had to do was force the illusionist's control out, and he could get out of this without having to fight Decimo. He let his I-Gloves die, sending him falling into the ground before igniting them again, flying towards the bluenet. He caught a smile on the Mist Guardian's face before a projectile sent him hurtling into the ground. The asphalt concaved on impact, as he managed to propel himself with the gloves before he could crash. Still off the ground, he realized that Tsuna was the one that elbowed him in attempt to drive him down.

"I'm your enemy, Vongola." The soothing voice of the tenth Vongola boss rang his ears. The blonde held the other's mismatched eyes, allowing his emotions to show despite being in his Hyper State.

"You are not my enemy, Tsunayoshi." He replied, equally as calm. He landed on the ground, now looking up at the brunet. "You never will be. I know you can hear me, fight it."

"It's no use." Tsuna boosted himself with his X-Gloves, but Giotto had seen his movements. He caught the punch that Tsuna threw his way, lighted with the Deathperation Flames. Giotto was quick to move away dodging the swipe on his leg, careful not to aim his boost towards Tsuna unintentionally. The brunet followed not a second to soon, charging at him with another punch. He caught his hand once more, holding it in place. The blonde caught the other hand that tried to hit him as well, and they pushed each other in place. Giotto took a deep breath, his gloves beginning to glow as the Dying Will Flames receded. Before he could do anything though, he could feel his fire decreasing. Following his hyper intuition, he moved away from Tsuna once more.

He caught a glance of the brunet's gloves. Where the metal was 'X' before, they were 'I'. They were exactly like his, which only meant one thing. Glancing down as his own hands, he saw that they had began to freeze off, forming beautiful ice crystals where Tsuna's hands had been. Before he could get rid of them though a powerful chop was delivered towards him. He used both his hands to block his head, seeing that Tsuna hadn't stopped attacking, Giotto let his hands burn with his Dying Will Flame, getting rid of the ice, before he pushed Tsuna back. When he had a moment to breathe, he pleaded with the brunet, "Stop this, I don't want to hurt you."

"Then die." The reply was silent and quick. Tsuna was suddenly behind him, ready to kick. Giotto's hyper intuition made it easy enough for him to move out of the way, finding an opening in the attacking brunet. Since the momentum of his feet was to attack, there was no way the brunet could have evaded unless he could twist like a pretzel. Instead of taking his shot though, Giotto simply furthered himself away from the other teen.

"Giotto, if you don't defeat Tsuna, you will die." A familiar voice called to him. He turned his head and he couldn't be happier to see Reborn. Tsuna was about to attack him once more, but for some strange reason, the brunet moved the other way. He flew back to where Gokudera and Yamamoto were currently attacking Daemon. It seemed like the two had managed to defeat Mukuro's followers. Tsuna appearing before the two guardians to defend Daemon didn't look to be going too well.

"You know I won't hurt him." Giotto argued, taking this time to watch what was going on before him. The guardians moved away from Daemon now, trying to talk sense into the brunet. They were nothing compared to Tsuna in his Hyper State. Gokudera was easily flung towards the end of the road, since he put up no resistance to his beloved leader. Yamamoto on the other hand, managed to defend himself a bit, but he was no match to the Hyper Intuition that predicted every single one of his movements. Giotto had known as much. This was his fight. He went out of his Hyper Dying Will Mode, hands rolling into fists.

"That's not an option." Reborn spoke again, now looking at his blue eyes with those piercing black ones. "If you die here, Vongola or Tsuna in your time stream wouldn't exist."

"I know! But what am I supposed to do?!" Giotto yelled, feeling control slip him. There was no point fighting if it meant hurting his precious light. His hands were hurting through the gloves as he continued to fist them. All his training was supposed to be to have enough power to protect Tsuna and get back to his world so the brunet would exist. What was he supposed to do now? Was all his time training and learning just to be wasted? He lowered his head, unable to watch as Tsuna was forced to hurt his friends.

The problem was, he would rather die than even lift a finger against Tsunayoshi.

"You don't have to win against Tsuna. Daemon is your enemy. Don't forget that you're not the only one fighting." That was enough for Giotto to look up and watch. Tsuna was still fighting Gokudera and Yamamoto. Reborn was right. At this point, he was the only one who could keep the brunet away from Daemon. If could manage to do that, then the others would be able to fight the bluenet. He didn't know if they could defeat the illusionist—no. They had to defeat Daemon, it was the only way Tsuna would be free. He was going to put his faith on the tenth generation Vongola family, because they were not just Tsuna's, but his family as well. This was Vongola, the family that he already began to assemble back in his time—the familgia that he had to get back to. The tongue of flame on his forehead returned, burning a powerful shade of orange. He left the infant behind as he jetted towards Tsuna. Reborn muttered with a knowing smile, "Show them your power, Vongola Primo."

Giotto grabbed Gokudera's hand just in time as ice began to blossom like a deadly flower where he was, not a second ago. Letting go of the silver-haired teen, he eyed Tsuna, returning back to his composed self. His order to the self-proclaimed right hand man was simple, "I'll take care of Tsunayoshi, deal with Daemon."

"I understand." Gokudera replied, and in that instant, Giotto flew up. Just as he expected, Tsuna followed him. The blonde had noticed that his fire was definitely strongest when he was calm and resolved. He planned to stay in that state because he had to, if he wanted to use that against the brunet.

"Are you finally going to fight me, Vongola?" Tsuna's voice mocked, though those words belonged to Daemon. Giotto's fire-like eyes looked down, seeing that the three guardians below were now engaged into a battle. It all depended on them now. Returning his glance at the brunet, he replied, smoothly,

"Yes." Giotto had reminded himself, that this was the only way. He didn't have to fight Tsuna or hurt him. All he needed to do was to buy enough time for Decimo's other guardians to force Deamon's hold out of Tsuna. He wasn't alone. "But if you think that I will hurt you, then you're wrong. I can never hurt the people that I care about."

Tsuna had a surprised look on his face, before he curled into himself. He clutched his head, looking like he was attempting to rip his own hair out. Giotto got ready as the brunet came at him violently. Decimo's face showed a struggle, and a lost in control as contrast to the blonde's. Giotto flew up a bit more, gaining altitude, still not even attempting to fight. All he need was to buy time. He had to have faith.

"Tenth…" Gokudera called worriedly as he looked up the sky where he was currently knocked into the ground, watching as two lights clashed and chased each other. The pain that wrack his body was almost unbearable. He couldn't believe the damage he had taken fighting glasses freak. That battle took longer than necessary because despite himself, he wasn't able to go all out on that bastard. Because of that, he wasn't able to be there when this man pretending to be Rokudo Mukuro attacked his beloved boss. The storm guardian was thrown to the ground when the bastard he was fighting was insanely good at fighting hand to hand, unlike that bastard Mukuro without his eyes. He convinced himself that being the mid-range man put him at a disadvantage.

"Gokudera, are you alright?" Yamamoto asked, joining him. The baseball idiot was as hurt and tired as he was, and he was beginning to worry that they might not be the ones for this job after all… but he had to fight. He had to win. "Don't worry about Tsuna. He can take care of himself. For now we have to beat this guy,"

"Shut up! I know that already!" Gokudera rose to his feet, looking up the sky once more.

"Attacking him one at a time is useless." A new voice said. The two guardians turned to see a familiar blonde, sizing up their opponent.

"Haneuma!" Gokudera exclaimed, calling Dino Cavallone by his famous alias. The said man brought out his coined whip, and all of the sudden it felt like the tides could finally turn their way.

The elder blonde grinned childishly, explaining, "Sorry I'm late. I had a hard time trying to get away from Kyouya."

"Wait, you… what?! _Idiot_! Where he is now?!" Gokudera prattled, not believing that this man was a boss like the Tenth. Calling the Cloud Guardian by his first name was the first indication that clearly, something was wrong with Dino. Hard as it was to admit, but they could save his beloved leader faster if the prefect was here. Why the hell Dino decided that it'd be better not to have him around was beyond him.

"I don't know… I left Romario to deal with—watch out!" Yamamoto was the one who pulled Gokudera out of the way as the trident was sent hurling towards them. He was in shock but not in a good way. The stupid mafia boss with them not only left their apparently strongest (most stubborn was more like it) guardian somewhere, he also came without any of his men. It was a wonder how he managed to land on both feet when he dodged out of the way. Gokudera could feel his anger rise even more. This man wasn't going to be of any help aside from comedic relief. No time to complain though, as Dino suddenly got up and went on the offensive.

The two guardians got ready to back the mafioso up, but as the blonde lashed his weapon, it somewhat managed to back fire. Only Dino could force his own weapon to tangle around him, making him completely unable to move. Gokudera fought the urge to face palm before throwing bombs to get in between Daemon and the pathetic man on the floor. Daemon smirked, turn towards him in return. As the illusionist came near, the silver-haired man sidestepped, making room for the swordsman behind him to attack.

"_Shigure Soen Ryu: Yarazu no Ame_!" Yamamoto declared as kicked his sword towards the charging man. Daemon smirked, managing once more to avoid that attack. Gokudera had noticed the extensive knowledge of the damn bastard when it came to the baseball player's sword style… as if he knew it from somewhere. In the bluenet's speed, he speared Yamamoto in the gut with the dull end of the trident, before sending Gokudera into the ground with a perfectly placed blow to the back of his head. He hissed in pain, cursing under his breath.

The sound of the whip echoed and Dino had not only gotten out if his own bind, but miraculously stopped Daemon from piercing Gokudera's skull as the final blow. The illusionist only grinned wider, trying to pull his weapon free before leaping towards the blonde. Dino pulled on the whip, but it wouldn't follow his actions. He tugged harder and the bluenet holding the other side let go of the trident, the force sending him falling on his behind. Unable to recover fast enough, Daemon drove his trident down to spear the man on the ground. Gokudera could only helplessly yell, "Haneuma!"


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **I need to still reply to all your reviews and private messages, but I shall do that later, because I'm actually not home and I'm stealing from someone's wifi. I feel bad... anyways. I shall explain why I didn't update last week either, but I can't stall. I shall update you all later!

If you had told me a few months ago that I would write a work of fiction and people would actually read it, I would literally laugh at you. But here we are now, thousands of words later. There is still one chapter after this one, but this story will conclude here. It's certainly a bitter-sweet thing, to finish any fanfics. Thanks once more for being here, and don't worry, you won't have to endure my sickening words of gratitude for much long. Enjoy this chapter with your dying will! Happy reading!

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Chapter Twenty: Family

"Haneuma!" Gokudera yelled, but Dino knew better than to open his eyes. Well, he supposed he had died for a good enough cause… to save his little brother. But still. Dying at the age of twenty-two was kind of tragic. Who was going to take over his family? The only regret he had as his life flashed before his eyes was that his last breath wasn't for…

Instead of the sound of the silver trident piercing his flesh, the distinct cry of metal hitting metal rang his ears. It was swiftly followed by the sound of a successful attack and an 'oof'. Cavallone Decimo dared to crack his eyes open seeing the back of a familiar black tuft of hair and a middle school uniform. Speak of the devil.

"Kyouya!" Dino happily called to his student. The prefect relaxed from his fighting stance, turning his full body to look at the blonde on the ground. His glare could kill a full-grown man, the mafioso thought. About to thank the other for saving him, Kyouya cut him off with a monotone drone of,

"How dare you run away from me, Cavallone? I'll bite you to death right now." The prefect went to his fighting stance once more, tonfas shining menacingly at Dino. The don's eyes widened, suddenly up on his feet.

"Wait a minute Kyouya! I'm not the enemy at the moment." The mafioso defended.

"Bastard, don't fight with Haneuma! You're a guardian, too! It's your job to help the Tenth!" Gokudera scolded, barely able to stand as he joined them. Yamamoto was just rising to his feet slowly. To what Gokudera said, the skylark couldn't care less. Dino thought as much.

"I have no interest in that." Kyouya stubbornly insisted, pitting up his weapons against the blonde.

"More importantly, would you really pick fighting with me over a chance for revenge?" His sienna irises met those steel-blue ones with an air of knowing and mischief. Kyouya turned to face Daemon, who still looked like Rokudo Mukuro.

An aura of contempt and hate surrounded the prefect as he muttered, "Don't get in my way, then."

Daemon finally managed to recover. When he did, he made a mistake of speaking, "Oh? More reinforcements then? I have to admit, young Vongola's family is a tighter knit than I thought."

"Don't associate me with those herbivores." Kyouya literally flew from where he was, tonfas out for the kill. Daemon was barely able to block the blow, and for a split second, he looked over at where Dino was standing with a ghost of a smile on the don's face.

Returning his attention to the skylark, he maneuvered the trident like his third arm, aiming the tri-point at Kyouya. The raven-haired teen was more than ready, intercepting with his own weapon, creating openings. Just as Dino thought, Daemon wasn't able to simultaneously use the Paths of Reincarnation. Without his ability to fight heightened, he didn't stand a chance against Kyouya. He wouldn't be able to call Tsuna back down either because he would risk dealing with both Giotto and the skylark. The path to his defeat had pretty much been laid out, pardon the pun. He should have never underestimated the power of Tsuna's family. For a second he worried that Kyouya might go all out on the illusionist, which would have been bad for Chrome's body. But the blonde relaxed, reminding himself that his student knew what he was doing.

That point became apparent when the prefect managed to knock the trident out of the bluenet's hands. The weapon came skittering on the ground, and Dino was quick to reel it in with his whip. The illusionist glared at him, eying the weapon. The mafioso snapped the trident into two, and noted the distressed look on Daemon's face as he leaped away from Kyouya. Without the trident, and unable to use more than two of Mukuro's abilities, it was good as done. If he couldn't keep up with the prefect before, now Kyouya was just dominating the battle. In no time, the student managed to break through the illusionist's remaining defenses and send him spiraling into the ground. In a last-ditch effort to fight, the number two in his red pupil changed to five.

After looking down at where the guardians were, Giotto returned his attention back to the teen before him. Tsuna was finally able to catch up to him, but something felt off. The brunet hissed as he did, "Just die already!"

Tsuna's movements were erratic and frantic, making it easy for Giotto to dodge the lack of strategy. Just as he thought, Tsuna had been fighting Daemon's control all this time. All the brunet needed was some slack to pull on. Now more than ever, Decimo was moving against Mukuro's Second Path—especially when Giotto saw that Daemon was knocked down in the battle. The bluenet must have severed their connection by changing Reincarnation Paths, because he could see Tsuna physically fighting the mind control.

Giotto needed to get trough the brunet. He called as Tsuna began another barrage of useless attacks, "Your family is here now, fighting for you. Listen to my voice, Tsunayoshi. Break free."

"Stop talking. I didn't want to hurt them." It seemed to have fueled the struggle. The brunet was too in over his head to notice Giotto's blind spot where his right hand was still glowing orange. His punches were become desperate, no point or whatsoever behind them other than to hurt—exactly what he didn't want to do. Tsuna didn't like fighting because he didn't want to hurt people, Daemon was using the brunet's own guilt when he fought with his guardians to take control.

"It wasn't you. You didn't hurt your family. You never could… don't you remember what you told me? When I asked you why you fought?" Tsuna's movement became jerk-like, unstable and hesitating. He wouldn't meet his eyes, "Do you remember what you told me when I apologized for getting you and your family involved?"

"I said, stop!" Giotto caught Tsuna's fists once more with his free hand, and smiled gently.

"You told me you fought because it's your responsibility to protect your family. When I apologized for it, you told me that you wouldn't have it any other way because that's what you are, Tsunayoshi." Tsuna moved his fist away, once more blindly throwing off key punches. Giotto continued to speak, "You are the sky that ties all. You would do everything for their sake without losing sight of your own beliefs. You always put the people you care about first before you… you've done the same for me though I didn't deserve it.

"That's the reason why I love you, Tsunayoshi." His words stopped Tsuna from attacking. Once more pulling on his hair with one hand as he swayed precariously from where he was hovering. Giotto brought out his right hand in front of him, placing it on the mess of hair in Tsuna's head. The Dying Will Flames on the brunet's forehead flickered indigo. The light from Giotto's I-Gloves began to spread to the brunet, the indigo flame died off, getting swallowed by the bright orange one that was originally there. He opened his eyes to meet Tsuna's identical ones, as the crimson eye faded into oblivion. The Deathperation Flames that burned luminously on his forehead returned to its normal state, and the brunet's in exchange, took on the vigor that was once in his.

They began to descend into the ground. Once both his feet were on the ground, he took his hands off the messy brown hair of the one before him. Giotto smiled, looking at the rather bewildered expression on Tsuna's Hyper Dying Will Mode. He spoke in explanation, answering the silent question of the other, "We share the same flames, Tsunayoshi. Your determination to protect your family and mine to change the world burn the same way. I only needed to remind you what lies in your heart… don't let your guilt ever get in the way of your resolve."

Just as he finished explaining, his knees turned to jelly. The blonde slid into the ground, and Tsuna was immediately by his side. Looking up, he met those doe-like brown eyes with his blue ones, "Giotto! Are you alright…?"

"Yes, that just took a lot from me." The time traveller replied with an assuring smile. They were both out of their Hyper State now. As he attempted to get up though, Tsuna suddenly embraced him, tackling him back down to his behind. Giotto returned the embrace, pressing his cheek on top of Tsuna's head.

"I…" Tsuna started, barely a whisper. It didn't help that his voice was muffled as his face was pressed against Giotto's chest. The blonde basked on the warmth, of the feeling being in this young man's arms. There was no other place he'd rather be. He embraced the other tighter, pulling their bodies even closer. Giotto released Tsuna, using his hand to gently lift the brunet's chin. He met those deep pools of mocha with his azure orbs. Without hesitation, he pressed his lips against Tsuna's. The smaller teen melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around the blonde's neck. Giotto wondered if every part of Tsuna was warm and gentle like the man himself, but then he realized it was hardly the time to be thinking that… or doing this. The sounds the smaller teen was making were driving him insane. His body's automatic response against asphyxiation kicked in before he could properly end what he started. The blonde pulled away from their lip lock, holding the back of the brunet's head, who buried his face on his chest once more.

"I know." Giotto whispered back, returning air back to his lungs. As much as he would like to stay like this forever, there was still one more thing left undone. The blonde reluctantly pulled away from their hold. He braced himself against Tsuna as they got to their feet, now looking at where Daemon was. He murmured silently to the brunet, "It's time."

The two generation leaders used each other as clutches, joining the group that has assembled around Daemon. The illusionist sat gasping for air, back against the wall in the street. Kyouya lowered his tonfas, staring quietly at the herbivore before him. Despite getting his abilities back, the body he was using was too weak to carry him on. He didn't even put up a decent fight to sate the prefect.

"Well done, Kyouya." Dino commended as he helped Yamamoto up. The skylark leered his eyes at the mafioso before he turned to leave. "Wait, where are you going?"

"I still don't like crowds." The other replied, moving away from the group.

"Man, what a pain in the ass." Gokudera said, glaring as the prefect disappeared. Dino smiled, still watching where the skylark had gone. The irritation in the Storm Guardian melted as the two leaders neared them. "Tenth! Are you okay?!"

Tsuna nodded with a smile, not saying anything as he helped Giotto to stand in front of the illusionist. There was something different about him now. Daemon chuckled, having a hard time raising his head. When he did though, the grin on his face was grim as he said, "You won, Vongola."

"I didn't. We did." Giotto let go of Tsuna, kneeling down to be eye to eye with the illusionist. "Whatever I did in your time to make you do this, I'm sorry. But do you understand now? I don't want the Vongola to be like how you said it should be because it's not just a Mafia group but also a family. We're all a family, Daemon."

"Stop talking like that. I guess at any age you're as soft and foolish as you've always been." Another bitter chuckle escaped the bluenet, shaking his head. "Listen to me, Vongola. You will start the familgia with intentions pure. But there will come a time when you will have no choice but to follow a heinous path for the sake of the family. The familgia might start for a better cause, but you can't avoid the fact that we're still part of the Mafia, years of blood and sacrifices are written with our names. When that time comes, you will see why I wanted the Vongola to be stronger."

"You're wrong." Tsuna suddenly piped out, turning everybody's head towards him as he spoke with both maturity and kindness, like the bright light Giotto had always seen him as. "The Vongola is about using our power to protect, never for seeking more power to destroy."

"That might be true for Vongola but he won't live forever… and people like you, young Vongola would need to carry the family in your back one day. You're going to have to accept the fact that yes, the family started out for a noble cause, but what came after is inevitable. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, as they say." Those were the last of his words before his body began to envelope with indigo mist. When it faded, an unconscious Chrome replaced the illusionist. Giotto was able to catch the girl before she hit the floor. Romario was quick to take her off his hands, making sure that she was all right. It was silent the entire time until Giotto rose to his feet and spoke,

"Daemon is right… I have no control over the things that might happen. But it's too late for me to turn back." He looked up and smiled as he met Tsuna's eyes. "I will do everything that I can to make sure that the Vongola in my time will act according to my will to protect. And besides, I'm certain that if people like you, Tsunayoshi, inherit the family, no matter how dark things might have been, there is always light."

Just a he spoke those words, the ring around Tsuna's neck began to glow a warm color of orange, like Giotto's fire. It shot out an orange beam of light that hit the time traveller. They call called a harmony of 'Giotto', 'First', and 'Primo' to the blonde as he was enveloped with the warm light. He looked at his own hands, in awe as he began to see through himself. He was fading.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Rating is for light violence, and themes that might not be suitable for younger readers. I hold the right to change it when I deem necessary—which it might. This work of fiction is with shounen-ai themes, or boy love. Deal with these warnings accordingly.

**Author's Note: **Twenty-one chapters later, we've finally come to the end. I could never express my gratitude to you guys enough for still being here and allowing me to tell you this story! First of all, I want to shout out to _Gdashzero_, my right hand, G0 who had been the one who had inspired me to publish my story and introduce you all to this wonderful work for. Next, I want to thank all of you, specially to _Lunakatsuma, HikaruWinter, Final Syai Lunar Generation, pseudoMe, XSkyeStarlX, xryuchan27, Yuukilover, CIEOLOVONGOLA, AnImEfEN, CrimsonSkyTamer, Darkened Fire Dragon, Butterfree, Taira-keimei, vanillabeast, mafiaqueen1, NeitherSanNorInsane, Mistzuna, charm13insomnia, Moira Sahou, Lightning515, i.b.22, khr1410_, and all my anon-reviewers whose kind words encouraged me to continue. To all my silent readers, favoriters, and followers, your support is not without recognition. Finally, to Akira Amano-san who created Katekyoushi Hitman Reborn!, which seriously saved me from my darkest times.

I will forever remember this engaging experience, and even though this is my first story written and published, it certainly would not be the last because of all of you! I love you all! For the last time, without further ado, enjoy the final chapter of Vicissitude! Happy reading!

* * *

Chapter 21: Vicissitude

_No._

Tsuna thought first as the light suddenly enveloped Giotto where he stood. This was just like the first time that he had been sent to this world. For once since finding it, the complete calm on Giotto's face wasn't welcomed to the brunet. He realized he should be happy. Giotto was most likely going to go back to his own time, to where he truly belonged. He would return to his own family, in Italy where he would eventually begin the Vongola. There was a sudden lump on his throat that gripped his entire being, tears threatening to spill out. It had never occurred to him until that moment that somewhere along the line, Giotto had him. Once he was back in his own time, not only would he be starting the creation of the Vongola, but his own family as well. He was being selfish. He didn't understand.

All along he had thought that he had been in love with Kyoko. After all, she had been his crush… and partly part of his motivation to win his battles. Tsuna now found his affections towards her to be childish. She would never be the one he kissed on the Ferris wheel, whose lips and warmth wouldn't make him hesitant to do it again. Sasagawa Kyoko would never be the one who understood exactly what he was going through. One look could never make her see the pain and the hardship he was going through… she didn't even know about the mafia. It was Giotto, whose ocean eyes spoke for him, that could say everything that Tsuna wanted to hear and then some. It was the blonde young man that kept him warm in bed, making him truly feel like he would never be alone in his troubles. It was those hands pressed against his skin that could make his heart rate soar, and take the very air he was breathing away. It was the blonde young man glowing in front of him, feet turning into star-like dots of light, that he loved.

Giotto couldn't leave now… not now. They still had much room for growth. The two of them could learn so much from each other. They could mature together to be the Vongola bosses they were meant to be. He didn't want to do this alone… he didn't want to be the only one.

"It has finally come to an end." Reborn spoke, but Tsuna wasn't paying too much attention. The brunet was steeling himself not to cry, because he shouldn't. He should be happy.

"What do you mean? What's going on Reborn-san?" Gokudera was the one to voice what was going through each of their minds. Tsuna wasn't able to see how Giotto's blue eyes were fixed on Reborn's black ones in a silent exchange before the blonde closed his eyes as if in prayer.

"Each Vongola bosses will undergo a trial to see if they are fit to be the holder of the Sky Ring." The arcobaleno stated, monotone. Tsuna couldn't care less about what was happening. All he knew was that he didn't like this. "It is true that Giotto was supposedly the one that originally owned the ring, but the Vongola Rings are much more than just symbols of inheritance. He had to be tested in a way that the ring could deem him worthy. Deamon just so happened to have set the stage for his test unknowingly, but it seems like the ring has recognized Giotto."

"Meaning that the reason why he's fading now is… because he passed?" It was Yamamoto's turn to ask. Tsuna didn't have to look up to know that the sun arcobaleno had nodded in agreement. This wasn't fair. Fate was cruel. Why else would it make him meet Giotto, a man that had died over four hundred years ago? Though he knew he was probably never meant to develop feelings for his own ancestor, what could he do? There wasn't anything about Giotto that he couldn't be attracted to, from those beautiful ocean eyes to his golden personality. There could be no one else like Giotto. How was that fair?

Tsuna glued his eyes on the floor, his head down and unmoving. His hands were in tight fists on his side. He could feel his heart breaking when Giotto spoke in that quiet tone, reserved when he was deep in thought, "This is it then…?"

No one said anything, but he faintly heard Gokudera's worried call of 'tenth'. The blonde continued then, unaware of the damage he was doing to Tsuna's heart with each word, "Thank you for all that you have done for me… for showing me what a family should really be like. _Ti ringrazio, decimo famiglia Vongola_."

"Tsunayoshi." The brunet gasped when he suddenly felt familiar warmth enveloping him. No long would he feel this way… this would be the last time. Giotto titled his chin up to look him in the eye, his free hand lacing with the smaller man's. Tsuna couldn't stop the tears from flowing down his eyes, the floodgates had opened the moment he met those sad fire-like irises. He was in such a daze that he hadn't realized that the blonde was in his Hyper State for one reason or another. This was the image that he would remember of Giotto… those desolated orange irises slightly obscured by fringes of golden locks, sadness etched within them. "If there is one thing I regret it is that there is not enough time in the world for us to be together. However, I am still thankful for what little time we did have. I will always be with you… I don't know how yet, but it seems like the Giotto of this time had found a way, so I'm sure I'll figure it out, too."

The blonde was barely visible now, and Tsuna couldn't see him because of his tears. Giotto placed his hand on either side of the crying teen's face gently as he pulled him into a chaste kiss. When Tsuna opened his eyes once more after pulling away from their embrace, Giotto was literally just a light. Decimo found his voice and it felt scratchy, as he called, "Giotto, don't Please…"

"_Ti amo_." A voice called, barely a whisper. Tsuna didn't speak Italian but he understood.

The brunet fell on his knees. "Wait… I…"

"I will be waiting for the day we can be together again. For now, _arrivederci_."

* * *

"Tsunayoshi…!" He gasped in cold sweat as he rose from where he was. Giotto looked around him in panic, seeing that he was in a bed—an awfully familiar one. His heart was slowing as he took deep breaths to calm himself. He could see the same sleepy streets of Italy from his window…

_Italy._

The door busted open, almost falling out of its hinges as a red haired teen rushed in. His eyes showed surprise and relief before it was quickly replaced by irritation. G looked at him with contempt as he scolded, "Giotto, you bastard! Don't you frickin' scare me like that!"

"G…" The blonde called, still finding it weird to say that name. It felt like it has been forever since… wait. The blonde blinked, looking at his hands before he looked up at his friend hesitantly asking, "What happened…?"

"You lost… didn't think it was possible, but some punk kicked your ass. You've been knocked out cold for three days." He didn't want to hear G say that. He didn't want to think that he had been dreaming everything… that what he had experience had been a dream. What if everything that had happened was all in his head? What about Japan? What about Vongola? And Tsuna…? It felt real… the people he had met, the things he had seen, the experienced he had learned. Dreamed individuals couldn't possibly name themselves, right? He couldn't possibly fall in love for something that was a figment of his imagination… right? The blonde was finding it harder to breathe, holding his suddenly aching head with his hand.

"I've been… asleep?" He croaked the words, an inexplicable pain blossoming in his chest.

"Yeah. If it wasn't for Yoru over there, you'd be fish food by now." G looked at him worriedly, probably bothered by the dazed expression he had. What just happened? Was he here the whole time? Had he been sleeping? Was it all just…

"Wait, who's Yoru?" Giotto asked, still a bit shaken about what was going on. G beckoned his head and another young man walked in the room. Giotto's eyes widened at the sight of the foreigner… a tall yet scrawny raven-haired teen.

"He brought you here… but don't try to talk to him, he can't understand you… all he says is some weird language and 'yoru'." G was still talking, but the blonde's throat had ran dry. He didn't understand what was going on anymore.

"Yamamoto Takeshi?" He called the raven's name. This was Tsunayoshi's friend and guardian… a part of the family. How could he exist here in this time? The other two occupants of the room returned his bewildered expression. This was all a little strange… okay, a lot strange. Nothing made sense.

"_I'm sorry… I don't…"_ The raven replied, a confused expression on his face. Giotto understood him. He was speaking Japanese. This man was unmistakably Japanese. A relieved expression appeared on his face as he touched his own lips gingerly. So he didn't dream it after all. Sawada Tsunayoshi was real, he and his family would exist in the future that he would create. He did travel back through time. He had started the Vongola. The smile on his face was as bright as the sun that began to crack on the horizon outside.

"_I am Giotto. My friend tells me here that you saved my life, I am forever in your debt."_ The blonde spoke in perfect Japanese, proving to himself that what had happened to him the past few weeks had been real. Daemon did send him to the future, but the ring returned him sooner, back in his time. This was his time, but he didn't dream what happened to him. It was real.

"What the hell?" G said out of place.

"_You speak Japanese…! My name is Asari Ugetsu, it is a pleasure, Giotto-san_." G watched the whole exchanged confusedly. How in the world did Giotto learn how to speak whatever language it was that his foreigner was speaking? He had been asleep for three days. He hadn't been anywhere but Italy all his life… so going back to his previous statement: what the hell? "_It's nothing, in fact I should be thanking you. If I hadn't found you, I'd surely be back in my father's vessel without seeing this beautiful country._"

"_Your father owns a vessel_?"

"_Ah. He's a merchant, and we are about to sail back to Japan when I found you. He allowed me to stay here. What about you…? And your scary friend over there?"_

"_We're just a rowdy bunch of ragtags. That cranky looking one is my childhood friend, G. Welcome to our family_."

* * *

"_These are the sins of the Vongola._" It had begun.

Primo hated this… at least he didn't have to say anything any more.

"_Murder. Revenge. Betrayal. The endless pursuit of political power. The history of the Vongola Mafia._" It didn't get any easier each time they had to go trough the trial. It would just be wrongs on top of wrongs, a never-ending cycle.

This was absolutely the worst.

"_One who holds the Vongola's Sky Ring, do you have the resolution?_" The blonde had lost count of how many times he had done this, but he supposed having his time stopped, he really didn't have much of a choice.

"_The determination to inherit these sins?_" It was something that must be done. There were no exceptions, not even Daniella, who had been a woman.

"_These are the sins carried by the Vongola._" These sins were technically the successor's burden… but though Giotto had died a long time ago, they were still his.

"_This is the Vongola's history._" This was his history.

"_Do not avert your eyes from the truth._" He had long accepted the truth. Primo had turned his heart to ice.

"_Accept the truth._" But each time the Trial of Succession comes up and stirs him from his timeless existence, the ice would melt.

"_You had better have the resolution._" When the ice melted, he would feel all the pain, all the doubts, all the suffering of those tied to the Vongola.

"_You'd best have the determination to inherit these sins._" When the ice melted he would feel all the guilt, all the sorrow, all the regrets that came with being the Vongola Boss. He had felt all their anguish. There was no end.

"No… stop." He could feel the despair behind that voice. The pain would start now for Giotto… all of the successors had gone through the same thing. "Stop it!"

"Stop it." The voice repeated again, and he couldn't emphasize more how much he wish he could stop this as well. It was too painful.

"_Do not avert your eyes. This is the fate of those who succeed the Vongola._" An unavoidable fate that made all of them walk the same path as Giotto did.

"_This is the very reason that you have a life._" Giotto decided that the pain he was experiencing at these trials was his punishment. He deserved this… to suffer each time he would be summoned.

"No! I can't do these terrible things!" That voice… why…? It was a voice he recognized… a memory?

"_You cannot attain power without paying the proper price._" Was he hearing things…? Why did that voice…?

"_If you want great power, you must have the resolve to succeed this great history._" He couldn't feel the pain. Giotto felt numb… it felt like the weight of the world was suddenly removed from his shoulders.

"Great history?" What was going on…? The successor's voice was making him forget about the pain, the doubts, the sufferings, the guilt, the loneliness, the regrets… was this even possible? "That's what you call this? I don't want the power to do this!"

"Everyone…" It was a memory. A memory he had long lost. That voice… that light… I couldn't be… "No."

"_What?_" This was the ninth Trial of Succession.

"I thought I could do anything to protect everyone. But I… I don't want this kind of power!"_  
_

"_What was that?_" Giotto stood behind Vongola Nono, his fire running amok.

"If you're going to make me succeed all of these mistaken actions, I'll destroy the Vongola!" A shiver ran down his spine. He recognized that resolve everywhere. He knew that fire. He knew that light. This was it.

His fire-like eyes fixed on the brunet on the ground. Giotto should have known. No one else would be crazy enough to say such things—to have a resolution strong enough to defy fate. This was the same Tsuna he had met in a distant memory. This was the reason why he was here. He finally spoke, his voice clear like glass, "I accept your determination."

_What is this…? A dream? An illusion?_ The teen thought to himself, eyes wide and innocent, like a dear caught in the headlights.

"A portion of our time carved into the Ring." He replied to the silent question. In this existence where time didn't exist, he hadn't realized that the time he had been waiting for was here.

_Time…? A moment…?_ It was exactly as he felt, though the brunet might be saying that for a completely different reason.

"Prosper or ruin; do as you wish, Vongola Decimo." He wished he had more time… which was ironic, really. He had so many things left to say… to this young man that would save all of them from this cycle of madness.

_Vongola Decimo…? Tenth…?_ He felt the intensity behind those doe-like brown eyes. They were as beautiful as he remembered them to be.

"We've been waiting for you." Giotto, more than anyone. He was still hot and cold about this young man inheriting the Vongola, but Tsuna was strong—proven so when he was reminded of this young man's resolution. Destroy the Vongola… for the sake of his family…? He showed promise, a hope that he would walk a different path in deed. "You will succeed the mark of Vongola… Tsunayoshi."

"Wait… I…"

"I'm still waiting for you, always, Tsunayoshi. For now, _arrivederci_."

* * *

*_Ti ringrazio - _a more formal way of saying 'thank you'

**_Ti amo _- 'I love you'

***_Arrivederci_ - 'goodbye'


End file.
